/ 


THE  MANUAL 


UK ' 


OF  THE 


AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY 


l|  | ; 


HP 

li 


NEW  YORK 

American  Bible  g>octets 

INSTITUTED  MDCCCXVI 
X907 


Officers  of  ti)t  American  HBtbir  Society 


PRESIDENT 

Daniel  Coit  Gilman,  LL.D.,  Md. 


VICE-PRESIDENTS 


Joshua  L.  Chamberlain,  Me. 
Oliver  O.  Howard,  Vfc. 

Frank  M.  Cockrell,  Mo. 

John  W.  Foster,  D.  C. 
Theophilus  A.  Brouwer,  N.  Y. 
Cyrus  Northrop,  Minn. 

James  H.  Carlisle,  S.  C. 
Howard  Van  Epps,  Ga. 
William  P.  Dillingham,  Vt» 

E.  E.  Beard,  Tenn. 


David  J.  Brewer,  D.  C. 
Mtcrrtt.t,  e.  Gates,  D.  C. 
William  J.  Northen,  Ga. 
William  A.  Robinson,  Ky. 
Elbert  A.  Brinckerhoff,  N.  J. 
James  A.  Beaver,  Pa. 

John  B.  Smith,  N.  H. 

Samuel  B.  Capen,  Mass. 

James  Wood,  New  York. 

Frank  E.  Spooner,  Illinois. 

John  L.  Williams,  Va. 


CORRESPONDING  SECRETARIES 
Rev.  JOHN  FOX,  D.D.  Rev.  WILLIAM  I.  HAVEN,  D.D. 


UNIVERSITY  ( 
ILLINOIS  UBR/ 
AT  U R B A N A • C H A IVI  i 
OAK  STREET 


RECORDING  SECRETARY 

REV.  HENRY  O.  DWIGHT,  LL.D. 


TREASURER 
WILLIAM  FOULKE. 


spanagers 


William  t.  Booth. 
Churchill  H.  Cutting. 
John  S.  Pierson. 


T.  G.  Sellew. 
Ezra  B.  Tuttle. 
Charles  A.  Hull. 


Term — 1904  to  1908 

John  S.  McLean. 

Wm.  J.  Schieffelin. 
Charles  D.  Levkrich. 

Term— *905  to  1909 
Alexander  Maitland. 
o.  Edgar  Leaycraft. 
Frederic  M.  Turner. 


Edward  Kirk  Billings. 
Wm.  Phillips  Hall. 

G.  S.  Mackenzie. 


Henry  S.  Stearns,  M.D. 
Henry  C.  M.  Ingraham 


Alexander  E.  Orr. 
Gerard  Beekman. 
William  H.  Harris. 


Frederick  Sturges. 
George  G.  Reynolds. 
James  A.  Punderford. 


Term — 1906  to  1910 

E.  Francis  Hyde. 

H.  D.  Nicoll,  M.D. 
Edward  P.  Tenney. 

Term— 1907  to  \9\\ 
George  E.  Sterry. 
Thomas  Whittaker. 
George  D.  Beattys. 


Joshua  L.  Baily. 
John  R.  Taber. 
Sheppard  Rowland. 


Frederick  S.  Duncan. 
Philip  Nye  Jackson. 


BOUDINOT’S  TABLET  AT  PRINCETON 


THE  MANUAL 


. OF  THE 

American  Bible  Society 

CONTAINING 


INFORMATION  CONCERNING  ITS 
HISTORY,  PRINCIPLES,  AND  WORK 


WITH  OTHER  FACTS 


RELATING  TO  THE  BIBLE  CAUSE  IN  GENERAL 


NEW  YORK 

&mencan  Bible  ^>octet^ 

INSTITUTED  MDCCCXVI 
*907 


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CONTENTS, 


PAGE 


Invention  of  the  Art  of  Printing 5 

Early  Latin  Bibles 5 

First  English  Translations  of  the  Scriptures . 6 

The  Douay  Version 6 

English  Version  of  King  James 6 

Revised  English  Versions 7 

The  First  Proposal  to  Print  the  English  Bible  in  This  Hemi- 
sphere   *• 8 

The  First  Bibles  Printed  in  the  United  States 9 

Action  Taken  by  the  National  Congress 9 

Early  Publications  of  the  Scriptures  in  the  United  States 10 

Prospects  for  Printing  a Bible  in  1789 10 

Efforts  to  Secure  Publication  of  a Correct  Text  of  the 

Scriptures.  11 

The  Canstein  Bible  Institute 12 

Bible  Societies  in  England 12 

Formation  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society 12 

Earliest  Bible  Societies  in  the  United  States 14 

Origin  of  the  American  Bible  Society 14 

Members  of  the  Convention  Which  Formed  the  Society 15 

The  Constitution  Prepared  and  Adopted 17 

Address  to  the  People  of  the  United  States 17 

Congratulations  from  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society.  18 

Act  of  Incorporation 19 

The  Benevolent  Character  of  the  Society 19 

The  Society  Unsectarian 19 

The  Board  of  Managers 20 

The  Officers  of  the  Society 20 

The  Standing  Committees 22 

Life  Directors  and  Members 23 

Certificates  of  Membership 23 

Privileges  of  Life  Directors  and  Life  Members 24 

Auxiliary  Societies 24 

New  Agencies  in  the  United  States . . . . 25 

Official  Organs 26 

The  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Society 27 

The  Society’s  Financial  Year 27 

Receipts  of  the  Society  Since  its  Organization 27 


4 CONTENTS— Continued 

PAGE 

37  Legacies - 28 

38  The  Bible  House . . 28 

39  The  Library 30 

40  The  Working  Force  in  the  Bible  House 31 

41  Printing  Presses  and  Machinery 31 

42  Stereotype  and  Electrotype  Plates 32 

43  The  Bible  for  the  Blind 32 

44  Styles  and  Prices  of  the  Society’s  Bibles 32 

45  The  Past  and  Present  Cost  of  the  Bible. 34 

46  The  Society’s  Standard  English  Text 34 

47  Principles  on  Which  Foreign  Translations  Are  Aided 35 

48  Progress  in  Bible  Translation 36 

49  Volumes  Issued  by  the  Society 38 

50  The  Number  of  Bibles,  Testaments,  and  Portions  Printed. . . 38 

.51  Countries  in  Which  the  Scriptures  Are  Now  Circulated 39 

52  Donations  of  Books 40 

53  Grants  of  Money 40 

54  The  Supply  of  Destitute  Sabbath  Schools. 40 

55  Distribution  of  the  Scriptures  in  the  United  States  Army. . . 41 

56  Distribution  of  the  Scriptures  among  Seamen 42 

57  Distribution  in  Hotels,  on  Steamboats,  and  in  Railroad  Cars.  42 

58  Distribution  among  Inmates  of  Public  Institutions 43 

59  Distribution  among  Immigrants 44 

60  Distribution  among  the  Poor 44 

61  Special  Efforts  to  Supply  All  the  Destitute 45 

62  The  Languages  of  the  Distribution 46 

63  Distribution  by  Colporteurs 46 

64  Distribution  among  Freedmen 47 

65  Foreign  Work  of  the  Society 48 

66  Bible  Distribution  in  the  Western  Hemisphere 49 

67  Bible  Distribution  in  the  Eastern  Hemisphere 52 

68  Books  of  Reference 56 

69  Jubilee  of  the  American  Bible  Society 58 

70  Seventy-fifth  Anniversary 60 

71  How  to  Help  the  Society’s  Work 61 


Constitution  of  the  American  Bible  Society 63 

Constitution  of  an  Auxiliary  Bible  Society 66 

Legacies 67 

Form  of  a Bequest T 67 


MANUAL 

OF  THE 

American  Bible  Society 


U Invention  of  the  Art  of  Printing 

IT  is  generally  conceded  that  the  art  of  printing  was 
invented  by  John  Gutenberg,  before  the  middle  of  the 
fifteenth  century.  He  was  a native  of  Mentz,  a town  situ- 
ated on  the  Rhine,  in  the  Duchy  of  Hesse,  Germany. 
Gutenberg  was  aided  in  his  experiments  by  other  citizens 
of  his  native  town,  one  of  whom  co-operated  with  him 
by  making  him  needful  pecuniary  advances.  The  first 
types  used  by  Gutenberg  were  made  of  brass,  'and  cut 
by  the  hand ; and  a high  authority  declares  that  11  in 
principle,  and  in  all  the  more  important  features,  the 
modern  molds  may  be  regarded  as  the  molds  afterward 
used  by  Gutenberg.” 

2*  Early  Latin  Bibles 

The  first  book  printed  from  movable  metal  types  was 
the  Latin  Bible,  in  two  volumes,  which  appeared  about 
the  year  1455.  This  Bible  was  formerly  styled  the  Mazarin 
Bible,  because  the  first  recognized  copy  was  discovered 
in  the  library  of  Cardinal  Mazarin.  It  is  also  called  the 
Gutenberg  Bible,  from  the  name  of  its  printer,  while  the 
scholarly  author  of  “ Incunabula  Biblica”  says  that  “it  is 
more  generally  and  appropriately  known  as  the  forty-two- 
line  Bible,”  from  the  number  of  lines  in  each  column  of 
its  pages.  It  is  very  remarkable  that  this  first  issue  from 
Gutenberg’s  press  is  eyen  now  one  of  the  most  splendid 
specimens  of  typography  extant.  Before  the  close  of  the 
fifteenth  century  one  hundred  and  twenty-four  editions  of 


MANUAL  OP  THE 


6 

the  Bible  in  Latin  were  printed  in  various  cities  of  Europe, 
and  the  total  number  of  known  editions  of  the  Bible  in 
this  language  previous  to  the  year  1800  is  more  than  one 
thousand.  Some  of  these  editions  are  exceedingly  rare, 
copies  of  the  Gutenberg  Bible  having  been  sold  for  a sum 
which  would  procure  nearly  one  hundred  thousand  Bibles 
now  printed  by  the  American  Bible  Society. 

3*  First  English  Translations  of  the  Scriptures 

John  Wickliffe1  s translation  of  the  Scriptures  was 
made  in  1380;  that  of  William  Tyndal  in  1526;  that  of 
Miles  Cover  dale  in  1535  ; that  of  Thomas  Matthew  in  1537  ; 
and  that  of  Archbishop  Cranmer  in  1539.  The  Genevan 
version  appeared  in  the  year  1560 ; and  the  celebrated 
Bishops 1 Bible , under  the  auspices  of  Archbishop  Parker, 
in  1568.  Forty-three  years  after  the  appearance  of  the  one 
last  named,  King  James's  version  of  the  Bible,  which  is 
nowin  general  use,  was  completed  and  given  to  the  world. 

4*  The  Douay  Version 

The  Douay  Version  of  the  Bible,  which  is  used  by 
Roman  Catholics,  is  composed  of  the  Old  Testament, 
translated  from  the  Latin  Vulgate  by  the  English  College 
at  Douay,  in  France,  in  the  year  1609,  and  the  New  Tes- 
tament, translated  also  from  the  Latin  Vulgate  by  the 
English  College  at  Bheims,  in  France,  in  the  year  1582, 
twenty-seven  years  previously.  These  two  translations, 
put  together,  constitute  what  is  commonly  called  the 
Douay  Bible,  which  is  published  with  the  authority  and 
approbation  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church. 

5*  English  Version  of  King  James 

The  English  version  of  King  James  receives  its  name 
from  the  fact  that  it  was  made  during  the  reign  of  James 
the  First , King  of  England . The  work  was  accomplished 
by  forty-seven  learned  men,  who  were  appointed  by  the 
Crown  for  that  purpose,  and  who,  after  about  seven  years 


AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY 


7 


of  most  diligent  application  to  the  work,  gave  it  to  the 
publisher  in  the  year  1611.  After  the  version  was  complet- 
ed, it  was  printed  by  Joseph  Barker,  u Printer  to  the 
King’s  Most  Excellent  Majesty,”  and,  according  to  the 
title-page,  was  “ appointed  to  be  read  in  churches.” 

Seventeen  of  the  translators  were  directed  to  work  at 
Westminster,  fifteen  at  Cambridge,  and  fifteen  at  Oxford. 
Those  who  met  at  each  of  these  places  were  divided  into 
two  companies,  so  that  there  were,  in  fact,  six  distinct 
companies  of  translators,  to  each  of  which  was  allotted  cer- 
tain books  of  the  Bible.  Each  man , in  each  company , was 
required  to  translate  separately  each  chapter  in  course ; 
and  then,  when  the  company  came  together,  they  were  to 
compare  what  they  had  done  and  agree  on  a common 
translation.  When  one  company  had  thus  agreed,  it  sent 
its  work  to  each  of  the  other  companies,  to  be  critically 
reviewed  by  all.  If  any  company,  upon  reviewing 
the  work  of  the  other  companies,  found  anything  doubt- 
ful or  unsatisfactory,  they  were  required  to  note  the  places 
and  their  reasons  for  differing,  and  to  send  it  back  to 
the  company  from  which  it  came.  If  that  company  did 
not  concur  in  the  suggestions  made,  the  matter  was  to 
be  arranged  at  a general  meeting  of  the  chief  persons  of  all 
the  companies  at  the  end  of  the  work.  By  this  arrange- 
ment every  part  of  the  Bible  was  most  closely  scrutinized 
at  least  fourteen  times. 

This  is  the  English  version  of  the  Scriptures  now  11  in 
common  use,”  spoken  of  in  the  first  article  of  the  Constitu- 
tion of  the  American  Bible  Society,  and  until  that  article 
was  amended,  it  was  the  only  version  in  the  English  lan- 
guage circulated  by  the  Society. 

6*  Revised  English  Versions 

At  different  periods  during  the  seventeenth,  eighteenth, 
and  nineteenth  centuries,  efforts,  more  or  less  formal, 
were  made  to  secure  a revision  of  the  Authorized  Version 
of  the  English  Bible.  On  the  10th  day  of  February,  1870, 
the  subject  was  brought  before  the  Convocation  of  the 


8 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


Province  of  Canterbury  by  Dr.  Wilberforce,  the  Bishop  of 
Winchester.  Action  was  then  taken  formally  inaugurating 
the  undertaking,  which  resulted  in  the  publication  of  the 
Revised  Version  of  the  English  Bible.  About  fifty  emi- 
nent scholars  in  Great  Britain,  and  thirty  in  the  United 
States,  representing  various  branches  of  the  Christian 
Church,  were  associated  in  this  difficult  and  important 
enterprise.  The  New  Testament  appeared  in  1881,  and  the 
entire  Bible  in  1885.  Such  views  of  the  American  revisers 
as  were  not  finally  approved  by  the  English  revisers 
were  published  in  an  appendix,  and  it  was  agreed  that 
the  American  revisers  would  give  their  support  to  the 
editions  printed  in  England,  and  would  not  issue  an  edi- 
tion in  the  United  States  for  the  term  of  fourteen  years. 

The  American  Committee  continued  its  existence, 
meeting  from  time  to  time,  and  in  the  summer  of  1901 
completed  what  is  known  as  “ The  American  Standard 
Edition  of  the  Revised  Version.” 

The  Constitution  of  the  Society  was  amended  at  the 
annual  meeting  held  in  May,  1904,  so  as  to  permit  the 
use  for  circulation  by  the  Society  of  either  the  English 
or  the  American  Standard  Revised  version,  besides  the 
version  of  1611. 

7.  The  First  Proposal  to  Print  the  English  Bible 
in  This  Hemisphere 

Among  the  collection  in  the  library  of  the  American 
Bible  Society  may  be  seen  a facsimile  of  Wrn.  Bradford's 
proposals  for  printing  a large  Bible,  as  long  ago  as  1688. 
It  reads  as  follows  : 

“These  are  to  give  Notice,  that  it  is  proposed  for  a 
large  house  Bible  to  be  Printed  by  way  of  Subscriptions, 
[a  method  usual  in  England  for  the  Printing  of  large 
Volumns,  because  Printing  is  very  chargeable]  therefore 
to  all  that  are  willing  to  forward  so  good  (and  great)  a 
work,  as  the  Printing  of  the  holy  Bible,  are  offered  these 
Proposals,  viz . : 1.  That  It  shall  be  printed  in  a fair  Char- 
acter, on  good  Paper,  and  well  bound.  2.  That  it  shall 


THE 

HOLY  BIBLE, 

Containing;  the  Old  and  New 

’TESTAMENTS: 

Newly  tranilated  out  of  the 

Original  Toncues; 

And  with  the  former 

TRANSLATIONS 

Diligently  compared  and  j*evifed. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

PfliNTED  AND  SOLD  BY  B.  AlTKEN.  AT  PopfiT 
H!eao/  Three  Doors  above  the  Coffee 
House,  i^. Market  Street, 
m»di:d.ixxxil 

TITLE  PAGE  OF  THE  AITKEN  BIBLE 


AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY 


9 


contain  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  with  the  Apocraphy, 
and  all  to  have  useful  Marginal  Notes.  3.  That  it  shall 
be  allowed  (to  them  that  subscribe)  for  twenty  Shillings 
per  Bible:  [A  Price  which  one  of  the  same  volume  in 
England  would  cost].  4.  That  the  pay  shall  be  half 
Silver  Money,  and  half  Country  Produce  at  Money  price. 
One  half  down  now,  and  the  other  half  on  the  delivery 
of  the  Bibles.  ****  Also,  this  may  further  give  notice 
that  Samuell  Richardson  and  Samuell  Carpenter  of  Phila- 
delphia, are  appointed  to  take  care  and  be  assistant  in  the 
laying  out  of  the  Subscription  Money,  and  to  see  that  it 
be  imploy’d  to  the  use  intended,  and  consequently  that 
the  whole  Work  be  expedited.  Which  is  promised  by 

11  William  Bradford . 

11 Philadelphia , the  14th  of 
the  1st  Month,  1688.’ 7 

8.  The  First  Bibles  Printed  in  the  United  States 

The  New  Testament,  translated  into  the  Indian  lan- 
guage by  Eliot  the  missionary,  was  printed  at  Cambridge, 
Mass.,  by  Samuel  Green  and  Marmaduke  Johnson,  A.  D. 
1661.  The  entire  Bible,  in  the  same  language,  by  the  same 
Rev.  John  Eliot,  was  printed  by  the  same  publishers  in 
1663.  The  Testament  was  republished  in  1680,  and  the 
Bible  in  1685. 

The  entire  Bible  in  the  German  language  was  printed 
at  Germantown,  Pa.,  by  Christopher  Saur,  in  1743. 
Several  editions  of  the  German  Bible  were  issued  subse- 
quently from  the  same  press. 

9 ♦ Action  Taken  by  the  National  Congress 

Upon  the  breaking  out  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  all 
British  publications  being  kept  out  of  the  country,  a great 
scarcity  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  began  to  be  generally  felt, 
and  Dr.  Patrick  Allison  and  others  brought  the  subject 
before  Congress  by  a memorial  in  which  they  petitioned 
that  an  edition  of  the  Bible  might  be  printed  by  the 
government.  The  memorial  was  referred  to  a committee, 

1* 


10 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


whose  report  recognized  the  importance  of  the  Bible  to  the 
nation,  but  in  view  of  the  difficulty  and  risk  of  procuring 
types  and  paper,  and  of  the  uncertain  state  of  affairs,  pro- 
posed that  the  Committee  of  Congress  should  be  directed 
to  import  20,000  copies  of  the  Bible  from  Holland,  or  Scot- 
land, or  elsewhere.  The  order  was  accordingly  made. 

JO*  Early  Publications  of  the  Scriptures  in  the 
United  States 

In  1777  the  New  Testament  in  English  was  printed  in 
Philadelphia,  by  Robert  Aitken  ; and  in  1782  the  same 
publisher  printed  the  entire  Bible,  the  first  English  Bible 
printed  in  this  country.  This  book  was  recommended  by 
Congress,  having  been  first  examined  by  the  chaplains, 
who  reported  favorably  on  it. 

In  1790  the  Douay  Bible  was  printed  in  Philadelphia. 

In  that  year  the  English  Bible  was  again  printed  in 
Philadelphia  by  William  Young.  In  1791  it  was  printed  in 
Worcester,  Mass.,  by  Isaiah  Thomas,  and  also  in  Trenton, 
N.J.,  by  Isaac  Collins,  a member  of  the  Society  of  Friends. 

In  the  year  1801  Matthew  Carey,  of  Philadelphia,  in 
the  preface  of  a Bible  which  he  then  published,  says  : 11 1 
present  this  edition  of  the  Bible  to  the  public,  with  a de- 
gree of  solicitude  proportioned  to  the  magnitude  of  the 
undertaking . Having  embarked  therein  a large  property 
and  devoted:  my  utmost  care  and  attention  to  it  from  its 
commencement  to  completion,  I find  it  impossible  to 
assume  that  degree  of  stoicism  necessary  to  regard  with 
indifference  its  reception  by  my  fellow-citizens.7 7 

JJ*  Prospectus  for  Printing  a Bible  in  J789 

Isaiah  Thomas,  of  Worcester,  Mass.,  issued  a prospectus 
for  printing  11  a Royal  Quarto  Bible  77  by  subscription,  in 
November,  1789,  of  which  the  following  are  some  of  the 
conditions : “ 1.  It  shall  be  printed  with  elegant  new 
Types , already  made  and  completed,  particularly  for  the 
purpose — types  large,  beautiful,  and  suited  for  the  accom- 
modation of  the  eyes  of  all,  especially  those  of  the  aged 


AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY 


11 


and  infirm.  2.  The  Paper  shall  be  fully  equal  in  good- 
ness, if  not  of  a superior  quality,  to  the  (English)  Cam- 
bridge, Oxford,  or  London,  Royal  Quarto  Edition.  3. 
The  Price  to  Subscribers,  handsomely  bound,  shall  be 
only  Seven  dollars , although  the  English  Editions  of  the 
same  size,  and  of  an  inferior  quality,  are  sold  for  eight  or 
nine  dollars.  4.  To  make  payment  easy  to  those  who  wish 
to  be  encouragers  of  this  laudable  undertaking,  and  to  be 
in  possession  of  so  valuable  property  as  a Royal  Quarto 
Bible,  and  who  are  not  able  to  pay  for  one  all  in  Cash — 
from  such  the  Publisher  will  receive  one-half  of  the  sum, 
or  twenty-one  shillings , in  the  following  articles,  viz.  : 
Wheat , Bye,  Indian  Corn,  Butter  or  Pork , if  delivered  at 
his  store  in  Worcester , or  at  the  store  of  himself  and 
Company  in  Boston , by  the  20th  day  of  December,  1790  ; 
the  remaining  sum  of  twenty-one  shillings  to  be  paid  in 
Cash,  as  soon  as  the  books  are  ready  for  delivery.  This 
proposal  is  made  to  accommodate  all,  notwithstanding  the 
sum  of  twenty-one  shillings  will  by  no  means  be  the 
proportion  of  cost  that  each  Bible,  bound,  will  cost  the 
Publisher.  5.  The  work  will  be  committed  to  the  Press 
as  soon  as  a sufficient  number  of  Bibles  are  subscribed 
for,  barely  to  defray  half  the  expense  of  the  undertaking. 
Notice  will  be  given  in  the  Newspapers  when  the  Bible 
will  be  put  to  press.  * * * * The  Booksellers  in  the  United 
States,  who  subscribe  for  twelve  or  more  copies  in  sheets, 
shall  have  them  on  full  as  generous  terms  as  the  Book- 
sellers in  England  are  supplied  with  English  Editions.” 

\2 ♦ Efforts  to  Insure  Publication  of  a Correct 
Text  of  the  Scriptures 

At  their  annual  convention,  in  the  spring  of  1790,  the 
Congregational  ministers  of  Massachusetts  adopted  a me- 
morial il  praying  that  Congress  would  take  such  measures 
as  the  Constitution  would  permit,  that  no  edition  of  the 
Bible,  or  its  translation,  should  be  published  in  America 
without  its  being  carefully  inspected  and  certified  to  be 
free  from  error.”  In  this  position  other  ecclesiastical 


12 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


bodies  united,  but  inasmuch  as  the  Constitution  of  the 
United  States  expressly  provides  that  11  Congress  shall 
make  no  law  respecting  an  establishment  of  religion,  or 
prohibiting  the  free  exercise  thereof,  or  abridging  the  free- 
dom of  speech  or  of  the  press,”  the  whole  matter,  after 
careful  consideration  by  that  body,  was  indefinitely  post- 
poned. 

J3*  The  Canstein  Bible  Institute 

As  there  were  reformers  before  the  Beformation,  so 
there  were  Bible  societies  before  the  great  Bible  society 
era  which  coincides  with  the  early  years  of  the  nine- 
teenth century.  The  most  noted  of  these  societies  is  the 
one  which  was  founded  by  Carl  Hildebrand,  the  Marquis 
of  Canstein,  and  is  known  as  the  11  Canstein  Bible  Institute 
in  the  Orphans’  Home  at  Halle.”  In  the  year  1710  he 
issued  an  1 ‘‘Extraordinary  Proposal — How  to  Bring  God’s 
Word  into  the  Hands  of  the  Poor  for  Edification  at  a Low 
Price.”  Before  the  death  of  the  Marquis,  which  occurred 
in  1719,  40,000  Bibles  and  100,000  Testaments  had  been 
printed,  largely  through  his  liberal  gifts.  The  total  circu- 
lation of  the  Canstein  Institute,  in  various  languages, 
amounts  to  over  7,000,000  copies.  Its  issues  in  1906  were 
38,696  copies. 

14>  Bible  Societies  in  England, 

In  1787  there  was  a Bible  organization  in  the  city  of 
London  called  the  “ Naval  and  Military  Bible  Society,” 
designed  to  furnish  the  Scriptures  in  the  navy  and  the 
army  of  Great  Britain.  In  May,  1792,  the  “ French  Bible 
Society”  was  instituted  in  London,  having  for  its  object 
the  printing  of  the  Scriptures  in  the  French  language  for 
distribution  in  France.  The  disturbed  condition  of  the 
country,  however,  prevented  the  execution  of  the  plan. 

15*  Formation  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible 
Society 

The  library  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society  con- 
tains, among  other  treasures,  a Welsh  Bible,  published  in 


AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY 


13 


1799  by  the  Society  for  the  Promotion  of  Christian  Knowl- 
edge, upon  one  of  the  blank  pages  of  which  is  written  : 
“ Mary  Jones  His  the  True  Owner  of  this  Bible.  Bought 
in  the  year  1800.  Aged  16.”  Mary  Jones,  the  writer,  had 
for  more  than  six  years  before  this  date  been  laying  aside 
all  the  money  she  could  possibly  save,  with  her  heart  set 
upon  buying  a Bible.  It  was  twenty-five  miles  from  her 
retired  home  to  Bala,  the  residence  of  the  Bev.  Thomas 
Charles,  to  whom  she  had  been  directed.  She  walked  the 
entire  distance,  to  and  fro,  and  procured  this  now  historic 
volume.  When  she  first  applied  to  Mr.  Charles,  and  was 
told  that  the  few  copies  he  had  were  reserved  for  persons 
who  had  already  made  application  for  them,  she  burst 
into  tears.  The  fond  hope  of  years  seemed  to  be  blasted  in 
a moment.  These  evidences  of  her  sad  disappointment  led 
Mr.  Charles  at  length  to  say  : “ My  dear  child,  difficult  as 
it  is  to  spare  you  one,  it  is  impossible — yes,  simply  impos- 
sible to  refuse  you  ; ” and  so  she  obtained  the  Bible  which, 
for  the  sixty-six  remaining  years  of  her  life,  was  her  most 
cherished  possession.  For  at  least  ten  years  before  the  date 
of  this  incident  various  efforts  had  been  made  to  supply 
the  great  want  of  the  Scriptures  in  Wales.  A few  thou- 
sand copies  of  the  Welsh  Bible  had  been  published  by  the 
Society  for  the  Promotion  of  Christian  Knowledge,  but  the 
hunger  of  the  people  for  the  Bread  of  Life  was  not  satis- 
fied. Through  all  this  time  the  apostolic  Charles,  and 
others  of  like  mind,  were  deeply  and  actively  engaged  in 
efforts  to  supply  the  sad  destitution  ; and  when  this  inci- 
dent occurred  he  said  to  a friend  who  was  present,  11  From 
this  day  I can  never  rest  until  I find  out  some  means  of 
supplying  the  pressing  want  of  my  country  that  cries  out 
for  the  Word  of  God.”  And  he  did  not  rest.  He  wrote 
many  letters  upon  the  subject  to  friends  in  England,  and 
in  December,  1802,  at  a meeting  of  the  Religious  Tract  So- 
ciety of  London,  he  made  such  a vigorous  presentation  of 
the  matter,  urging  the  formation  of  a society  for  the  pur- 
pose, that  warm  hearts  responded,  and  the  Rev.  Joseph 
Hughes  exclaimed:  “Surely  a society  might  be  formed 


14 


MANUAL  OP  THE 


for  this  purpose  ; and  if  for  Wales,  why  not  for  the  world  ?” 
Action  was  immediately  taken  looking  to  this  end,  and  after 
the  most  discreet  preparatory  measures,  the  British  and 
Foreign  Bible  Society  was  formed  in  London  on  Wednes- 
day, the  7th  day  of  March,  1804. 

16.  Earliest  Bible  Societies  in  the  United  States 

The  first  Bible  society  inthe  United  States  was  instituted 
in  Philadelphia,  in  the  year  1808,  about  four  years  after  the 
organization  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society  in 
London.  The  second,  the  Connecticut  Bible  Society,  was 
instituted  in  Hartford,  in  May,  1809.  The  third,  the  Mas- 
sachusetts Bible  Society,  was  organized  in  Boston,  in  July 
of  the  same  year.  The  fourth,  the  New  York  Bible  Society, 
was  instituted  in  the  city  of  New  York,  in  November, 
1809.  The  fifth,  the  New  Jersey  Bible  Society,  was  organ- 
ized in  Princeton,  in  December  of  the  same  year.  Other 
similar  societies  sprang  up  from  time  to  time  until  a 
printed  list,  published  in  June,  1816,  enumerates  one 
hundred  and  twenty-eight  which  had  been  formed  in 
twenty-one  different  states  and  territories.  Thirty-five 
of  these  local  organizations  united  in  forming  the  American 
Bible  Society,  and  eighty-four  became  auxiliary  to  it  dur- 
ing the  first  year  of  its  existence. 

M ♦ Origin  of  the  American  Bible  Society 

The  local  societies,  just  referred  to,  were  necessarily 
feeble  at  the  first,  and  obliged  to  conduct  the  Bible  work 
under  very  serious  disadvantages.  To  give  completeness 
and  increased  efficiency  to  that  work  throughout  the 
country,  a central  organization  was  called  for.  The  sub- 
ject was  thoroughly  discussed,  both  publicly  and  privately, 
by  the  friends  of  the  cause,  no  one  being  more  active  and 
efficient  in  these  incipient  movements  than  the  Bev. 
Samuel  J.  Mills,  whose  observations  as  a missionary  in  the 
western  and  southern  states  of  the  Union  impressed  him 
with  the  imperative  demand  for  a great  central  organi- 
zation. As  a result  of  a large  comparison  of  views,  a 


THE  OLD  GARDEN  STREET  CHURCH 

In  this  building,  on  the  8th  of  May,  1816,  the  Convention  met  which 
organized  the  American  Bible  Society 


THE  BIBLE  HOUSE,  NEW  YORK 


AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY 


15 


plan  for  a National  Bible  Society  was  formally  proposed, 
in  the  year  1815,  by  the  New  Jersey  organization,  at  the 
head  of  which  stood  the  Hon.  Elias  Boudinot,  of  Burling- 
ton, in  that  state.  Notice  was  given  of  a convention  to 
be  held  in  the  city  of  New  York,  for  the  consideration,  and, 
if  the  way  should  be  clear,  for  the  adoption  of  the  plan ; 
and  on  the  second  Wednesday  (the  8th)  of  May,  1816,  the 
friends  of  the  enterprise  met  in  the  Consistory  Boom  of 
the  Beformed  Dutch  Church  in  Garden  Street,  in  New 
York,  according  to  appointment.  Delegates  from  thirty- 
five  local  Bible  societies  were  present  at  the  convention, 
besides  four  representatives  of  the  Society  of  Friends,  mak- 
ing sixty  in  all.  Joshua  M.  Wallace,  Esq.,  delegate  from 
the  New  Jersey  Bible  Society,  was  chosen  President  of 
the  convention,  and  Bev.  J.  B.  Bomeyn,  D.  D.,  and  Bev. 
Lyman  Beecher  were  elected  Secretaries. 

The  object  of  the  convention  having  been  stated,  after 
.full  and  free  discussion  it  was  then  and  there,  with  entire 
unanimity, 

“ Resolved , That  it  is  expedient  to  establish,  without 
delay,  a general  Bible  Institution  for  the  circulation  of 
the  Holy  Scriptures  without  note  or  comment.’ 1 

A constitution  was  then  adopted,  and  an  address  to  the 
people  of  the  United  States  ordered  to  be  prepared  and  sent 
out  into  all  parts  of  the  country,  after  which  Executive 
Officers  and  a very  able  Board  of  Managers  were  chosen, 
and  the  American  Bible  Society  entered  at  once  upon  its 
career  of  benevolence  and  Christian  usefulness. 

J8*  Members  of  the  Convention  Which  Formed 
the  Society 

The  following  gentlemen,  sixty  in  number,  were  mem- 
bers of  the  convention  which  formed  the  American  Bible 
Society,  to  wit : 

Bassett,  Rev.  John,  D.D.,  Bushwick,  N.  Y. 

Bayard,  Samuel,  Princeton,  N.  J . 

Beecher,  Rev.  Lyman,  Secretary  of  the  Convention,  Litchfield,  Conn. 

Biggs,  Thomas  J.,  Nassau  Hall,  Princeton,  N.  J. 

Blatchford,  Rev.  Samuel,  D.D.,  Lansingburg,  N.  Y. 

Blythe,  Rev.  James,  D.D.,  Lexington,  Ky. 


1G 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


Bogart,  Rev.  David  S.,  Long  Island,  N.  Y. 

Bradford,  Rev.  John  M.,  D.D.,  Albany,  N.  Y. 

Burd,  William,  Lynchburg,  Ya. 

Caldwell,  John  E.,  New  York. 

Callender,  Levi,  Catskill,  N.  Y. 

Chester,  Rev.  John,  Albany,  N.  Y. 

Clarke,  Matthew  St.  Clair,  Chambersburg,  Pa. 

Cooley,  Rev.  Eli  F.,  Cooperstown,  N.  Y. 

Cooper.  James  Fennimore,  Cooperstown,  N.  Y. 

Day,  Orrin,  Catskill,  N.  Y. 

Eddy,  Thomas,  New  York. 

Ford,  Henry,  Cayuga  County,  N.  Y. 

Forrest,  Rev.  Robert,  Delaware  County,  N.  Y. 

Griscom,  John,  New  York. 

Hall,  Rev.  James,  D.D.,  Statesville,  N.  C. 

Henshaw,  Rev.  J.  P.  K.,  Baltimore,  Md. 

Hornblower,  Joseph  C.,  Newark,  N.  J. 

Humphrey,  Rev.  Heman,  Fairfield,  Conn. 

Jay,  William,  Bedford,  N.  Y. 

Jones,  Rev.  David,  Newark,  N.  J. 

Lewis,  Rev.  Isaac,  D.D.,  Greenwich,  Conn. 

Linklaen,  Gen.  John,  Cazenovia,  N.  Y. 

McDowell,  Rev.  John,  Elizabethtown,  N.  J. 

Mason,  Rev.  John  M.,  D.D.,  New  York. 

Milledoler,  Rev.  Philip,  D.D.,  New  York. 

Morse,  Rev.  Jedediah,  D.  D.,  Charlestown,  Mass. 

Mott,  Valentine,  M.D.,  New  York. 

Mulligan,  William  C.,  New  York. 

Murray,  John,  Jr.,  New  York. 

Neil,  Rev.  John,  D.D.,  Albany,  N.  Y. 

Nott,  Rev.  Eliphalet,  D.D.,  Schenectady,  N.  Y. 

Oliver,  Rev.  Andrew,  Springfield,  N.  Y. 

Platt,  Isaac  W.,  Nassau  Hall,  Princeton,  N.  J. 

Proudfit,  Rev.  Alexander,  D.D.,  Salem,  N.  Y. 

Rice,  Rev.  John  H.,  Richmond,  Ya. 

Richards,  Rev.  James,  D.D.,  Newark,  N.  J. 

Romeyn,  Rev.  John  B.,  Secretary  of  the  Convention , New  York. 

Sands,  Joshua,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

Sayres,  Rev.  Gilbert  H.,  Jamaica,  N.  Y. 

Sedgwick,  Robert,  New  York. 

Skinner,  Ichabod,  Conn. 

Spring,  Rev.  Samuel,  D.D.,  Newburyport,  Mass. 

Spring,  Rev.  Gardiner,  New  York. 

Swift,  Gen.  Joseph  G.,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

Taylor,  Rev.  Nathaniel  W,,  New  Haven,  Conn. 

Van  Sinderen,  Adrian,  Newton,  N.  Y. 

Vroom,  Guysbert  B.,  New  York. 

Wallace,  Joshua  M.,  President  of  the  Convention,  Burlington,  N.  J. 
Warner,  Henry  W.,  New  York. 

Williams,  Rev.  John,  New  York. 

Williams,  William,  Vernon,  N.  Y. 

Wilmur,  Rev.  Simon,  Swedesboro,  N.  J. 

Woodhull,  Rev.  George  S.,  Cranberry,  N.  J. 

Wright,  Charles,  Flushing,  N.  Y. 

These  have  all  passed  away.  The  last  survivor  was 
Henry  W.  Warner,  Esq.,  who  died  on  the  20th  of  Feb- 
ruary, 1875. 


AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY 


17 


\9 ♦ The  Constitution  Prepared  and  Adopted 

The  Constitution  of  the  Society,  which  may  be  found 
on  page  63.  was  prepared  by  a large  and  very  able 
committee,  consisting  of  the  Rev.  Drs.  Nott,  Mason, 
Morse,  and  Blythe,  Rev.  Messrs.  Beecher,  Rice,  Wilmur, 
and  Jones,  Hon.  Messrs.  Samuel  Bayard  and  William 
Jay,  and  Mr.  Charles  Wright.  After  the  fullest  discussion, 
it  was  adopted  with  entire  unanimity  by  the  convention. 

Hon.  Elias  Boudinot,  the  first  President  of  the  Society, 
in  announcing  the  event  to  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible 
Society  in  London,  said  : “ There  was  not  a single  dissent- 
ing voice  in  the  convention,  though  it  was  formed  from 
different  denominations  ; they  all  seemed  to  be  of  one 
heart  and  one  mind.  The  whole  proceedings  from  Wed- 
nesday, the  8th  of  May,  until  Monday,  the  13th,  clearly 
discovered  the  divine  agency  ; and  even  some  from  among 
those  least  affected  could  not  help  crying  out  aloud, 
This  is  none  other  than  the  work  of  the  Lord  ! 1 v 

20*  Address  to  the  People  of  the  United  States 

The  Society’s  first  address  to  the  people  of  the  United 
States,  which  may  be  found  in  its  first  Annual  Report 
and  was  one  of  very  great  power,  was  drawn  up  by  the 
Rev.  Dr.  John  M.  Mason  and  sent  out  with  the  constitu- 
tion into  every  portion  of  the  country.  The  following 
extract  from  that  address  will  show  the  spirit  which  ani- 
mated the  founders  of  the  Society,  and  the  simple  and  sub- 
lime object  which  they  contemplated  : u Under  such  im- 
pressions, and  with  such  views,  fathers,  brethren,  fellow- 
citizens,  the  American  Bible  Society  has  been  formed. 
Local  feelings,  party  prejudices,  sectarian  jealousies,  are 
excluded  by  its  very  nature.  Its  members  are  leagued  in 
that,  and  in  that  alone,  which  calls  up  every  hallowed 
and  puts  down  every  unhallowed  principle — the  dissem- 
ination of  the  Scriptures  in  the  received  versions  where 
they  exist,  and  in  the  most  faithful  where  they  may  be  re- 
quired. In  such  a work,  whatever  is  dignified,  kind, 

2 


18 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


venerable,  and  true,  has  ample  scope  ; while  sectarian 
littleness  and  rivalries  can  find  no  avenue  of  admission. 
Come,  then,  fellow-citizens,  fellow-Christians,  let  us  join 
in  the  sacred  covenant.  Let  no  heart  he  cold,  no  hand 
he  idle,  no  purse  reluctant.  Come,  while  room  is  left  for 
us  in  the  ranks  of  those  whose  toil  is  goodness,  and  whose 
recompense  is  victory.” 


2L  Congratulations  from  the  British  and  Foreign 
Bible  Society 

Soon  after  the  formation  of  the  American  Bible  Society, 
its  first  President,  Hon.  Elias  Boudinot,  wrote  to  the 
British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society  announcing  the  happy 
event ; and  the  following  is  a part  of  the  noble  response 
received  from  its  Secretary,  the  Rev.  John  Owen : 

“The  Commitee  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Soci- 
ety have  instructed  me  to  offer  you  their  warmest  congrat- 
ulations on  the  event  of  the  formation  of  the  American 
Bible  Society,  an  event  which  they  consider  as  truly  au- 
spicious and  pregnant  with  consequences  most  advantage- 
ous to  the  promotion  of  that  great  work  in  which  the 
American  brethren  and  themselves  are  mutually  engaged. 
To  these  congratulations  our  Committee  have  added  a 
grant  of  five  hundred  pounds  sterling;  and  they  trust 
that  both  will  be  accepted,  as  indications  and  pledges  of 
that  friendly  disposition  which  it  is  their  desire  to  cultivate 
and  manifest  toward  every  class  and  description  of  their 
trans- Atlantic  fellow-laborers.  The  crisis  at  which  the 
American  Bible  Society  has  been  formed,  and  the  cordial 
unanimity  which  has  reigned  through  all  the  proceedings 
which  led  to  its  establishment,  encourage  the  most  san- 
guine hopes  of  its  proving,  in  the  hand  of  God,  a power- 
ful auxiliary  in  the  confederate  warfare  which  is  now 
carrying  on  against  ignorance  and  sin.  May  these  hopes 
be  realized,  and  may  new  trophies  be  added,  through  its 
instrumentality,  to  those  triumphs  which  have  already 
been  reaped  by  the  arms  of  our  common  Redeemer ! ” 


AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY 


19 


22*  Act  of  Incorporation 

For  twenty-five  years  after  its  organization,  the  Society 
prosecuted  its  work  without  being  incorporated.  It  did 
so,  however,  with  great  inconvenience,  and  often  at  the 
imminent  peril  of  its  highest  interests.  On  the  25th  of 
March,  1841,  an  act  of  incorporation  was  granted  it  by  the 
Legislature  of  the  State  of  New  York  ; and  subsequent 
acts  passed  by  the  same  body — April  13,  1852,  April  24, 
1872,  and  April  5,  1888— gave  it  special  authority  to  hold 
personal  property,  to  take  real  estate  by  gift,  bequest, 
or  devise,  and  to  act  as  trustee  in  respect  to  any  gift  or 
grant,  bequest  or  devise,  pertaining  to  the  objects  of  the 
Corporation  ; so  that  the  Society  is  now  fully  competent, 
and  duly  authorized  by  law,  to  guard  every  variety  of 
trust  committed  to  its  custody. 

23*  The  Benevolent  Character  of  the  Society 

The  publications  of  the  American  Bible  Society  are  in 
no  case  sold  at  a profit.  All  styles  and  sizes  of  Bibles  are 
sold  at  cost  to  those  who  are  able  to  pay  for  them,  and 
are  supplied  (in  cheaper  binding)  without  ' cost  to  those 
whose  circumstances  call  for  such  consideration.  In 
many  cases  the  Society  incurs  the  expense  of  bearing 
books  to  the  homes  of  those  who  would  not  otherwise  b6 
able  to  obtain  them.  The  founders  of  the  Society  and  their 
successors  have  ever  remembered  its  single  reason  for  ex- 
istence ; namely,  to  place  the  Holy  Scriptures  within 
reach  of  all.  The  Society  is  wholly  a benevolent  organi- 
zation. 

24*  The  Society  Unsectarian 

The  American  Bible  Society  is  also  strictly  unsectarian. 
Its  Board  of  Managers  represents  seven  different  denom- 
inations of  Christians.  It  labors  to  circulate  the  Scrip- 
tures among  all  classes  impartially,  and  its  affairs  are 
managed  without  denominational  bias  or  control. 

In  this  connection  it  is  proper  to  refer  to  the  principle 
adopted  in  relation  to  the  publishing  of  scriptural  notes 


20 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


and  comments.  The  first  article  of  the  constitution  ex- 
plicitly declares  that  “the  sole  object  of  the  Institution 
is  to  encourage  a wider  circulation  of  the  Holy  Scriptures 

without  note  or  comment 

The  wisdom  as  well  as  the  necessity  of  this  principle 
can  scarcely  be  called  in  question  by  those  who  bestow 
any  reflection  upon  the  subject. 


25 ♦ The  Board  of  Managers 

The  government  of  the  Society,  according  to  the  con- 
stitution, is  intrusted  to  a Board  of  Managers,  consisting 
of  thirty-six  laymen , one-fourth  of  whom  go  out  of  office 
each  year,  but  are  re-eligible.  Laymen  who  were  consti- 
tuted Directors  for  Life  before  June  1,  1877  (by  the  pay- 
ment of  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars)  are  authorized  to 
attend  the  meetings  of  the  Board,  with  power  to  speak  and 
vote. 

Nearly  two  hundred  and  fifty  different  persons  have 
served  the  Society  as  Managers  since  its  organization. 

The  Managers  meet  regularly  in  the  Managers’  Boom 
in  the  Bible  House,  in  New  York,  on  the  first  Thursday 
of  every  month,  and  oftener,  as  the  business  of  the  Society 
may  require. 

26 ♦ The  Officers  of  the  Society 


The  Society,  since  its  organization,  has  had  twelve 
Presidents  as  follows : 


Hon.  Elias  Boudinot,  LL.D., 

Hon.  John  Jay,  LL.D.,  . 

Hon.  Richard  Varick, 

Hon.  John  Cotton  Smith,  LL.D.,  . 
Hon.  Theodore  Frelinghuysen,  LL.D., 
Hon.  Luther  Bradish,  LL.D.,  . 

James  Lenox,  Esq., 

William  H.  Allen,  LL.D., 

S.  Wells  Williams,  LL.D., 

Hon.  Frederick  T.  Frelinghuysen, 
Hon.  Enoch  L.  Fancher,  LL.D.,  . 
Daniel  Coit  Gilman,  LL.D 


from  1816  to  1821 
“ 1821  “ 1827 
“ 1828  “ 1831 
“ 1831  “ 1845 
“ 1846  “ 1862 
“ 1862  “ 1863 
“ 1864  “ 1871 
“ 1872  “ 1880 
“ 1881  “ 1884 
“ 1884  “ 1885 
“ 1885  “ 1900 
“ 1903 


At  the  1903  March  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Managers, 


AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY 


21 


Daniel  Coit  Gilman,  M.A.,  LL.D.,  of  Baltimore,  Md.,  for 
many  years  president  of  Johns  Hopkins  University,  and 
since  1896  a Vice-President  of  the  Society,  was  unani- 
mously chosen  President. 

It  has  had  one  hundred  and  sixty-eight  Vice-Presidents 
(to  May  1,  1905),  the  list  of  whom  includes  some  of  the 
most  distinguished  laymen  of  the  country. 


The  following  have  been,  at  different  periods,  the  Cor- 
responding Secretaries  of  the  Society  : 


Rev.  John  M.  Mason,  D.D.,  . 

Rev.  John  B.  Romeyn,  D.D., 

Rev.  James  Milnor,  D.D., 

Rev.  Selah  S.  Woodhull,  D.D.,  . 

Rev.-Thos.  McAuley,  D.D.,  LL.D., 
Rev.  Charles  G.  Sommers,  D.D.,  . 
Rev.  Nathan  Bangs,  D.D., 

Rev.  John  C.  Brigham,  D.D., 

Rev.  Spencer  H.  Cone,  D.D., 

Rev.  Edmund  S.  Janes,  D.D., 

Rev.  Noah  Levings,  D.D., 

Rev.  S.  Irenaeus  Prime,  D.D., 

Rev.  Joseph  Holdich,  D.D.,  . 

Rev.  Joseph  C.  Stiles,  D.D.,  . 

Rev.  James  H.  M’Neill,  . 

Rev.  William  J.  R.  Taylor,  D.D.,  . 
Rev.  T.  Ralston  Smith,  D.D., 

Rev.  Edward  W.  Gilman,  D.D., 
Rev.  Alexander  M’Lean,  D.D., 
Rev.  Albert  S.  Hunt,  D.D.,  . 

Rev.  John  Fox,  D.D.,  . 

Rev.  William  I.  Haven,  D.D., 

Rev.  Edward  P.  Ingersoll,  D.D.,  . 


from  1816  to  1820 

a 

1816 

a 

1819 

tt 

1819 

n 

1840 

tt 

1820 

u 

1825 

tt 

1825 

tt 

1839 

tt 

1825 

a 

1833 

a 

1827 

tt 

1829 

it 

1828 

a 

18  >2 

tt 

1833 

it 

1836 

tt. 

1840 

n 

1844 

tt 

1844 

a 

1849 

it 

1849 

a 

1850 

tt 

1849 

tt 

1878 

a 

1850 

tt 

1852 

tt 

1853 

tt 

1861 

a 

1862 

it 

1870 

it 

1866 

tt 

1871 

it 

1871 

tt 

1900 

tt 

1874 

tt 

1898 

a 

1878 

it 

1898 

a 

1898 

tt 

— 

1898 

tt 

— 

tt 

1901 

u 

1906 

The  Treasurers  of  the  Society,  in  their  order,  have  been 
as  follows : 


Hon.  Richard  Varick, 

from  1816  to  1820 

William  W.  Woolsey,  Esq.,  . 

u 

1820  “ 1827 

John  Adams,  Esq., 

tt 

1828  “ 1832 

Garrett  N.  Bleecker,  Esq 

a 

1832  “ 1832 

Hubert  Van  Wagenen,  Esq.,  . 

tt 

1832  “ 1836 

John  Nitchie,  Esq.,  .... 

tt 

1836  “ 1838 

Abraham  Keyser,  Esq.  . 

it 

1838  “ 1840 

William  Whitlock,  Jr.,  Esq., 

a 

1840  “ 1875 

William  Foulke,  Esq.,  .... 

.t 

1886  “ — >- 

22 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


In  the  earlier  history  of  the  Society,  the  office  of  Re- 
cording Secretary  and  Accountant  was  held  by 

John  Pintard,  LL.D.,  ....  from  1816  to  1832 

Robert  F.  Winslow,  Esq.,  . . . “ 1832  “ 1836 

In  1818,  Mr.  John  E.  Caldwell  was  appointed  the  So- 
ciety’s Agent . 

In  1819,  John  Nitehie,  Esq.,  was  appointed  Agent  and 
Accountant . 

The  office  of  General  Agent  and  Assistant  Treasurer  has 
been  held  by 

John  Nitehie,  Esq.,  ....  from  1832  to  1836 

Joseph  Hyde,  Esq.,  . . . . “ 1836  “ 1854 

In  1853,  the  office  of  General  Agent  and  Assistant 
Treasurer  was  divided,  and  the  following  gentlemen  have 
since  acted  as  Assistant  Treasurers  : 

Henry  Fisher,  Esq.,  ....  from  1853  to  1869 

Andrew  L.  Taylor,  Esq.,  ...  “ 1869  “ 1886 

In  1854,  Caleb  T.  Rowe,  Esq.,  was  elected  General 
Agent , and  continued  in  that  office  until  his  decease  in  the 
year  1898.  Since  that  time  the  office  of  General  Agent 
has  been  discontinued,  and  its  duties,  by  vote  of  the  Board 
of  Managers,  now  devolve  mainly  upon  the  Treasurer. 
Those  not  assigned  to  the  Treasurer  belong  to  the  Secre- 
taries. 

27*  The  Standing1  Committees 

The  Society  has  ten  Standing  Committees , appointed 
to  supervise  and  direct,  under  the  Board  of  Managers,  the 
various  departments  of  its  work.  The  Committee  on  Ver- 
sions, which  has  the  oversight  of  the  textual  correctness 
of  the  Society’s  issues,  is  composed  of  seven  clergymen, 
representing  six  different  denominations  of  Christians. 

The  Committees  on  Finance,  Publication,  and  Legacies, 
and  the  Auditing  Committee,  are  composed  of  laymen 
only.  The  Committees  on  Distribution,  Agencies,  Anni- 
versaries, and  Auxiliaries  comprise  both  clergymen  and 
laymen.  These  several  committees  consist  of  seven  mem- 
bers each,  except  the  Auditing  Committee,  which  consists 


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LIFE  MEMBERSHIP  CERTIFICATE 


AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY  23 

of  three.  The  several  chairmen  of  the  committees  already 
named  constitute  the  Committee  of  General  Reference. 

Some  of  the  Committees  meet  regularly  in  each  month, 
while  others  meet  only  upon  special  call  and  oftener  than 
once  a month,  if  the  business  of  the  Society  requires. 
They  carefully  consider  all  matters  pertaining  to  their 
respective  departments,  and  the  results  of  their  delibera- 
tions are  laid  before  the  entire  Board  of  Managers  for  ap- 
proval at  their  regular  monthly  meetings.  By  this  means 
the  Board  is  able  to  secure  the  most  careful  consideration 
of  all  measures  which  it  is  called  upon  to  adopt,  and  at 
the  same  time  to  superintend,  with  comparative  ease  and 
pre-eminent  safety,  all  its  various  complicated  and  exten- 
sive interests. 

28*  Life  Directors  and  Life  Members 

Since  the  Society’s  organization,  nearly  sixty-five  thou- 
sand persons  have  sustained  toward  it  the  relation  of  Life 
Directors  or  Life  Members.  There  are  still  living,  so  far  as 
can  be  ascertained,  more  than  40,000  of  this  honored 
company. 

29*  Certificates  of  Membership 

The  Certificate  which  the  Society  gives  to  each  of  its 
Life  Directors  and  Members  was  prepared  under  the  direc- 
tion of  a special  committee  consisting  of  the  Hon.  Luther 
Bradish,  Rev.  William  Adams,  D.D.,  and  Francis  Hall, 
Esq.,  and  was  adopted  by  the  Board  of  Managers  on  the 
second  of  February,  1854.  The  beautiful  vignette  which 
appears  upon  it  represents  the  Saviour  in  the  act  of  direct- 
ing the  scribes  and  Pharisees  to  the  Holy  Scriptures  for  a 
true  knowledge  of  himself  and  of  the  way  of  eternal  life, 
and  is  designed  to  illustrate  the  thirty-ninth  verse  of  the 
fifth  chapter  of  the  Gospel  according  to  St.  John.  It  was 
engraved  from  a design  by  Mr.  F.  Schlegel,  of  New  York, 
who  was  employed  by  the  Board  for  that  purpose.  The 
original  painting,  purchased  by  a special  subscription,  is 
suspended  in  the  Managers’  Room,  and  is  much  admired 
as  a work  of  art. 


24 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


30*  Privileges  of  Life  Directors  and  Life  Members 

Each  Life  Member  of  the  Society  is  allowed  to  receive 
in  any  one  fiscal  year  (April  1st  to  March  31st),  on  appli- 
cation at  the  Society’s  House,  Bibles  and  Testaments  to 
the  value  of  one  dollar ; and  each  Life  Director  to  the  value 
of  two  dollars  and  a half.  The  motive  which  led  to  the 
adoption  of  this  measure  will  be  seen  from  the  following 
extract  from  the  Twenty -sixth  Annual  Report : 

11  The  above  regulation  was  adopted  from  a conviction 
that  there  are  multitudes  of  individuals  in  the  community — 
orphans,  apprentices,  servants,  boatmen,  stage-drivers , and 
the  like — who  have  no  Bibles  and  but  few  religious  privi- 
leges, and  who  might  to  some  extent  be  supplied  by  the 
method  thus  proposed:  for  who  will  be  more  likely  to  scatter 
the  Sacred  Volume  among  those  who  are  destitute  than 
those  who  have  shown  such  a regard  for  that  volume  as  to 
make  themselves  members  and  directors  of  an  Institution 
which  furnishes  it  for  distribution  9 11 

From  this  it  is  easy  to  see  that  the  object  of  the  Board 
in  making  this  arrangement  was  strictly  a benevolent  or 
charitable  one,  and  that  the  books  drawn  out  should 
usually  be  of  the  plain,  cheap  kind,  which  are  suitable 
for  gratuitous  distribution  among  the  persons  already 
specified. 

It  may  be  added  that,  to  accommodate  those  who  prefer 
to  draw  their  annuities  from  depositories  in  their  neighbor- 
hood, orders  are  furnished  to  members,  upon  their  written 
application  at  the  Bible  House,  enabling  them  to  obtain 
their  supply  from  the  nearest  auxiliary  society.  Upon 
the  return  of  such  orders  to  the  Bible  House,  the  auxiliary 
society  will  receive  credit  for  the  value  of  books  furnish- 
ed. In  no  case  can  annuity  books  be  supplied  except  for 
the  current  year  of  the  Society,  beginning  with  the  first 
of  April. 

3L  Auxiliary  Societies 

About  twelve  of  the  local  Bible  Societies,  which  were 
in  existence  when  the  National  Society  was  formed  and 


AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY 


25 


which  became  the  earliest  of  its  auxiliaries,  still  remain 
active.  Other  local  societies  were  formed  in  all  parts  of  the 
Union,  and  at  one  time  a total  of  about  2,200  was  at- 
tained. These  auxiliary  societies  have  a noteworthy 
history  of  the  supply  of  the  destitute  in  their  own  fields, 
of  ready  attention  to  special  classes  of  destitution  requiring 
special  measures,  and  of  interest  in  the  foreign  and  gene 
ral  work  of  the  Society  that  has  been  repeatedly  expressed 
in  generous  contributions. 

The  change  in  business  methods,  the  immense  growth 
of  new  forms  of  religious  activity,  the  modification  of 
popular  taste  as  to  the  form  in  which  Bibles  should  be 
printed,  render  successful  prosecution  of  the  business  of 
auxiliary  societies  far  more  difficult  than  in  former  years. 
It  is  not  to  be  wondered  at — under  these  circumstances 
— that  many  auxiliaries  have  become  discouraged,  and 
have  continued  their  activity,  if  at  all,  in  a perfunctory 
manner.  It  has  been  the  constant  aim  of  the*Executive 
Officers,  acting  under  the  direction  of  the  Board  of  Mana- 
gers, to  encourage  and  to  stimulate  the  auxiliary  societies 
in  every  way  possible,  rendering  them,  from  time  to  time, 
practical  aid  and  comfort.  In  spite  of  this,  a large  number 
of  our  auxiliaries  have  failed  to  respond  to  communications 
sent  them  and  have  been  dropped  from  our  lists. 

On  the  other  hand,  grateful  record  should  be  made  of 
the  faithfulness  and  earnestness  shown  by  others  who,  in 
spite  of  difficulties  and  discouragements,  continue  their 
work  vigorously  and  successfully.  The  present  number 
is  616. 

32*  New  Agencies  in  the  United  States 

During  the  closing  years  of  the  nineteenth  century  a 
new  policy  was  adopted  which  replaced,  by  five  Field 
Agents,  the  thirty  or  more  district  secretaries  who  had  so 
signally  served  the  American  Bible  Society  in  many  pre- 
vious years.  These  five  Field  Agents  were  carefully 
chosen  men,  who  constantly  went  from  point  to  point, 
seeking  to  stimulate  public  interest  in  the  work  of  giving 
the  Scriptures  to  the  world. 

2* 


26 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


Changes  in  national  and  social  organization  and  the 
rapid  increase  of  new  elements  in  the  population  of  the 
United  States  in  the  early  years  of  the  twentieth  century 
have  demanded,  however,  increased  Bible  distribution  at 
home.  In  November,  1906,  the  Northwestern  Agency 
was  organized  by  the  Board  of  Managers,  including 
the  states  of  Indiana,  Illinois,  Michigan,  Wisconsin,  Min- 
nesota, Iowa,  Nebraska,  and  North  and  South  Dakota. 
The  Rev.  J.  F.  Horton  was  appointed  Agency  Secretary, 
with  headquarters  in  Chicago.  Later  the  Central  Agency 
was  organized,  with  Rev.  S.  H.  Kirkbride,  D.  D.,  as 
Agency  Secretary,  at  Denver,  Colo.,  and  the  South  At- 
lantic Agency,  with  Rev.  M.  B.  Porter  as  Agency  Secre- 
tary, at  Richmond,  Va.  The  Southwestern  Agency,  to 
include  Texas,  New  Mexico,  Arizona,  Oklahoma,  and  In- 
dian Territory,  is  in  process  of  organization  (October, 
1907),  as  well  as  an  agency  for  the  states  of  the  Pacific 
Coast.  The  general  principle  upon  which  these  agencies 
are  established  is  that  which  rules  the  foreign  agencies  of 
the  Society. 

The  retirement  of  our  five  Field  Agents  necessitated  by 
this  change  of  method  was  decided  upon  with  much  re- 
gret. They  had  given  to  their  self-sacrificing  work  a 
notable  devotion,  and  they  leave  behind  them  permanent 
memories  of  the  efficient  performance  of  duty. 

33*  Official  Organs 

The  official  organs  of  the  Society  are  the  Bible  Society 
Record,  its  “Annual  Report,”  “The  Bible  in  Every 
Land,”  and  the  “ Manual  of  the  American  Bible  Society 1 
together  with  such  circulars,  pamphlets,  etc.,  as  it  sends 
out  from  time  to  time  by  the  direction  of  the  Board  of 
Managers,  and  attested  by  the  signatures  of  its  Executive 
Officers.  From  these  various  sources  the  Christian  public 
may  secure  authentic  information  in  relation  to  the  prin- 
ciples, official  organization,  and  varied  operations  of  the 
Society.  The  Bible  Society  Record  is  a monthly  periodical 
of  sixteen  pages,  intended  to  give  to  the  friends  of  the  So- 


AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY 


27 


ciety  fresh  and  detailed  accounts  of  its  work  in  the  prep- 
aration and  distribution  of  the  Scriptures  at  home  and 
abroad.  As  its  publication  is  not  intended  to  be  remu- 
nerative, the  subscription  price  is  simply  nominal ; name- 
ely,  thirty  cents  a year.  “The  Bible  in  Every  Land  ” 
is  a little  quarterly,  costing  but  ten  cents  a year. 

34*  The  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Society 

The  time  fixed  in  the  Constitution  for  the  annual 
meeting  of  the  Society  is  the  second  Thursday  in  May . 
This  meeting  is  held  in  the  Bible  House,  in  the  city  of 
New  York,  generally  in  the  afternoon.  Anniversary 
services  for  reports  and  addresses  may  be  held  either  in 
New  York  or  elsewhere.  The  officers  of  auxiliary  societies 
have  the  privilege  of  speaking  and  voting  at  the  annual 
meetings. 

35*  The  Society's  Financial  Year 

The  Society’s  financial  year  closes  on  the  last  day  of 
March . Funds  intended  to  be  included  in  the  accounts 
of  a particular  year,  must  reach  the  Bible  House  not  later 
than  the  date  above  specified. 

36*  Receipts  of  the  Society  Since  its  Organization 

A statement  of  the  receipts  of  the  Society  since  its 
organization  is  contained  in  every  annual  report.  Though 
the  increase  has,  of  course,  not  been  uniform  from  year  to 
year,  the  following  comparative  view  will  give  a very  just 
idea  of  the  growth  of  the  Society’s  work  : 


Receipts.  Receipts. 

In  the  1st  year $37,779  35  In  the  1st  ten  years  $449,532  73 

“ 10th  “ 53,639  85  “ 2d  “ 954,897  94 

“ 20th  “ 101,771  48  “ 3d  “ 1,233,039  95 

“ 30th  “ 196,182  48  “ 4th  “ 3,042,632  44 

“ 40th  “ 393,167  25  “ 5th  “ 4,754,860  65 

“ 50th  “ 642,625  64  “ 6th  “ 6,794,188  60 

“ 60th  “ 527,198  27  “ 7th  “ 5,521,044  71 

“ 70th  “ 523,910  59  “ 8th  “ 5,422,838  48 

“ 80th  “ 437,223  05  “ 9th  “ 4,079,777  35- 


28 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


The  total  receipts  for  the  year  March  31, 1906,  to  March 
31, 1907,  were  $548,343.88.  The  grand  total,  from  the  organ- 
ization of  the  Society,  is  $32,404,262.26. 

37*  Legacies 

Included  in  the  above  statement  of  receipts  is  a sum  of 
more  than  $5,000,000,  which  represents  the  bequests  of 
more  than  three  thousand  persons. 

The  history  of  these  testamentary  gifts  is  full  of  tender 
and  grateful  interest,  and  is  associated  with  a long  roll  of 
honored  names,  which  the  annual  reports  of  the  Society, 
for  more  than  half  a century,  have  treasured  among  the 
records  of  the  blessed  dead.  Perhaps,  in  many  cases,  the 
smallest  sums  bequeathed  may  have  had  a value  and  sig- 
nificance like  those  of  the  widow’s  mite  ; while  all  of 
them,  it  is  to  be  hoped,  like  the  prayers  and  alms  of  the 
Roman  centurion,  “ are  come  up  for  a memorial  before 
God.” 

Nevertheless,  in  arranging  plans  for  work  each  year, 
and  in  meeting  its  engagements,  the  Society  cannot  place 
great  dependence  upon  this  source  of  income,  having  found 
the  sums  annually  derived  from  legacies  to  be  fluctuating 
and  uncertain.  Its  chief  reliance  for  means  must  always 
be  upon  the  systematic  and  conscientious  co-operation  of 
friends  of  Bible  work  among  the  living. 

38*  The  Bible  House 

For  a brief  period  after  the  organization  of  the  Society 
the  Managers  were  indebted  for  the  use  of  rooms  in  which 
to  hold  their  monthly  meetings  to  the  courtesy  of  the 
mayor  of  the  city  of  New  York,  to  the  governors  of  the 
New  York  Hospital,  and  to  the  New  York  Historical  So- 
ciety. 

The  original  depository  was  in  the  office  of  the  Soci- 
ety’s Agent  at  the  corner  of  Cedar  and  Nassau  streets ; 
then  a room  of  larger  dimensions,  though  only  seven  feet 
by  nine,  was  rented  at  No.  10  Cliff  Street ; and  still  later  a 
room  twenty  feet  square  was  occupied  in  Hanover  Street, 


AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY 


29 


under  the  shadow  of  the  Merchants’  Exchange.  After 
other  removals  the  Society,  in  1822,  erected  a building  on 
the  west  side  of  Nassau  Street,  between  Beekman  and 
Ann  streets.  The  Managers  met  there  for  the  first  time 
on  the  second  day  of  January,  1823.  Seven  years  later 
the  building  was  much  enlarged,  and  it  was  believed  that 
ample  accommodations  were  provided  for  many  years  to 
come.  As  early,  however,  as  1846  it  became  obvious  to 
the  Managers  that  the  premises  in  Nassau  Street  were 
inadequate  to  the  demands  of  the  expanding  operations  of 
the  Society.  In  February,  1847,  a committee  was  ap- 
pointed whose  efforts,  after  several  unsuccessful  attempts 
to  secure  a suitable  location  elsewhere,  resulted  in  the 
purchase  of  the  site  now  occupied  by  the  Society. 

The  corner-stone  of  the  new  Bible  House  was  laid  with 
most  impressive  ceremonies  on  the  24th  of  June,  1852. 
The  Society  took  possession  of  the  building  in  May,  1853, 
the  first  regular  meeting  of  the  Managers  being  held 
therein  in  June  of  that  year.  At  the  meeting  of  the  Board, 
held  on  the  2d  of  February,  1854,  the  Building  Committee 
submitted  their  final  report.  It  was  a time  of  sacred  joy. 
Resolutions  of  thanks  to  the  members  of  the  committee 
were  proposed,  and  while  every  one  was  prepared  to  in- 
dorse them,  Dr.  Tyng,  with  deep  feeling,  suggested  that 
before  we  gave  thanks  to  men  we  ought  to  give  thanks 
to  God  ; and  the  Rev.  Dr.  Spring,  on  the  invitation  of  the 
chair,  led  in  expressions  of  thanksgiving  and  praise. 

This  edifice  stands  by  itself,  on  an  open  square,  bounded 
by  Third  and  Fourth  avenues,  Astor  Place,  and  Ninth 
Street.  The  building  covers  the  entire  square,  with  an 
open  court  in  the  center,  and  is  six  stories  high. 

The  cost  of  the  Bible  House  was  $100,000  for  the  ground 
and  $204,000  for  the  building,  making  a total  of  $304,000. 
The  Bible  House  on  Nassau  Street,  which  was  erected  by 
special  contributions  for  the  purpose,  sold  for  $105,000. 
New  subscriptions  were  made,  amounting  to  $59,000, 
leaving  a balance  of  $140,000  to  be  provided  for.  Within 
about  ten  years  from  the  day  of  its  completion  the  building 


30 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


was  entirely  unencumbered  by  debt,  the  sum  of  $140,000 
having  been  received  from  rentals  and  appropriated  to  the 
sinking  fund.  The  documents  in  the  archives  which 
present  the  views  of  the  Board  and  the  history  of  the 
construction  of  the  Bible  House,  set  forth  with  emphasis 
the  fact  that  not  a dollar  of  any  contributions  received  for 
the  benevolent  work  of  the  Society  was  used  in  the  erec- 
tion of  the  building. 

After  a lapse  of  thirty-six  years  the  Bible  House  required 
thorough  and  extensive  repairs.  Not  only  were  these 
demanded  for  sanitary  reasons,  but  the  requirements  of 
tenants  could  not  be  met  without  the  introduction  of  ele- 
vators and  several  other  modern  improvements.  The  cost 
of  such  changes  as  were  positively  required,  even  without 
enlarging  the  building,  was  ascertained  to  be  so  consider- 
able that  it  was  believed  to  be  wise  to  make  a still  larger 
outlay,  and,  by  adding  a full  sixth  story  to  the  structure, 
greatly  to  increase  the  number  of  rooms  available  for 
renting.  The  cost  of  this  improvement  was  fully  paid  by 
rentals  many  years  ago.  Since  that  time  the  rentals  (in 
excess  of  the  expenses  of  maintaining  the  building)  have 
been  used  to  pay  the  salaries  of  the  Secretaries,  thus  re- 
lieving from  this  charge  the  contributions  of  the  churches. 

Because  the  American  Bible  Society  has  a large  building, 
free  from  debt,  and  in  addition  to  this  some  trust  funds, 
many  have  the  impression  that  it  is  rich  and  does  not 
need  the  support  of  the  churches  and  philanthropists. 
This  is  a serious  mistake.  The  income  from  the  Bible 
House  (one-half  of  the  building  is  occupied  by  the  manu- 
facturing plant  of  the  Society  and  its  offices)  is  used  as  we 
have  just  stated,  while  the  annual  income  from  the  trust 
funds  (the  interest  of  which  only  can  be  used)  is  not  suffi- 
cient to  carry  on  the  work  of  the  Society  for  a period  of 
forty  days. 

39*  The  Library 

The  Society  has  a choice  Library  of  more  than  five 
thousand  volumes.  The  collection  contains  editions  of  the 
Holy  Scriptures  in  more  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  lan- 


AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY 


31 


guages  and  dialects,  the  various  versions  published  at  the 
expense  of  the  Society  in  foreign  lands  being  well  repre- 
sented. Several  valuable  manuscripts,  some  rare  old  Bibles 
in  the  Latin,  English,  German,  Dutch,  and  other  lan- 
guages, and  many  other  volumes  scarcely  less  interesting, 
are  highly  prized. 

The  most  of  this  library,  seven  or  eight  years  ago,  was 
loaned  to  the  Lenox  Library.  In  the  Managers’  Room 
and  in  the  adjoining  offices,  however,  there  are  still  to  be 
found  many  attractive  and  rare  volumes,  besides  reports 
and  periodicals  of  the  leading  missionary  and  other  be- 
nevolent societies  of  the  United  States.  Perhaps  its  most 
striking  feature  is  its  unusually  large  collection  of  English 
versions  and  revisions,  showing  the  deep  and  scholarly 
interest  which  has  been  manifested  for  many  years  in 
the  translation  of  the  Scriptures  into  the  English  language. 

The  Managers7  Room  in  the  Bible  House  is  also  made 
especially  attractive  by  many  rare  portraits  of  the  Presi- 
dents and  other  distinguished  friends  of  the  Society. 

In  this  connection  it  may  also  be  stated  that  the  official 
correspondence  of  the  Society,  which  contains  invaluable 
materials  for  the  future  historian,  is  carefully  preserved  in 
its  archives. 

40*  The  Working  Force  in  the  Bible  House 

This  is  divided  into  two  branches — the  Executive  and 
Manufacturing.  The  former  comprises  the  departments 
of  the  Corresponding  Secretaries  and  the  Treasurer.  The 
latter  includes'the  Printing,  Electrotyping,  Proofreading, 
Binding,  and  Shipping  departments,  and  the  Depository. 
In  the  printing  department  and  the  bindery  many  of  the 
employees  are  women. 

The  aggregate  number  of  persons  engaged  in  the  service 
of  the  Society  in  the  Bible  House  does  not  vary  much  from 
one  hundred  and  eighty. 

4L  Printing-Presses  and  Machinery 

The  Society  has,  so  far  as  practicable,  taken  advantage 


32 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


of  recent  improvements  which  have  been  made  in  the 
various  appliances  of  its  work,  both  in  the  printing  and 
binding  departments. 

42*  Stereotype  and  Electrotype  Plates 

The  Society  owns  (not  counting  those  which  are  in  its 
possession  in  foreign  countries)  136  sets  of  stereotype  and 
electrotype  plates  of  the  Bible,  or  of  portions  of  it.  Some 
of  these,  as  the  plates  of  the  Quarto  and  the  Imperial 
Quarto  Bibles,  the  Bible  in  raised  letters  for  the  Blind,  the 
Boyal  Octavo  Bible,  Arabic  Bible,  Slavic  and  Bulgarian 
Testament,  Syriac  Testament  and  Psalms,  Hawaiian  Ref- 
erence Bible,  etc.,  have  been  prepared  at  a very  great 
expense  ; and  all  of  them  are  among  the  very  best  speci- 
mens of  modern  typographic  art.  These  plates,  carefully 
arranged  in  boxes  and  marked  for  ready  reference,  are  laid 
away  in  fireproof  vaults  built  expressly  for  them  under 
the  Bible  House. 

43*  The  Bible  for  the  Blind 

In  1843  the  Society  began  to  publish  the  entire  Bible 
for  the  Blind,  in  what  is  known  as  the  Boston  line-letter. 
In  1875  it  began  the  issue  of  single  Gospels,  in  the  New 
York  11  point-print,7 ’ and  in  1894  published  the  whole  Bible. 
The  Society  also  imports  the  Gospels,  Acts,  Psalms,  and 
Proverbs  in  the  11  Moon  system.”  About  thirty  thousand 
volumes  of  these  very  expensive  publications  have  now 
been  issued.  Most  of  these  volumes  have  been  granted 
gratuitously,  while  the  few  which  have  hot  been  thus 
bestowed  have  been  sold  at  prices  far  below  the  actual 
cost  of  manufacture,  thus  impressively  illustrating  the 
benevolent  character  of  the  Society’s  work. 

44*  Styles  and  Prices  of  the  Society's  Books 

In  the  year  1852  the  Board  of  Managers  carefully  con- 
sidered the  principle  observed  by  the  Society  in  fixing  the 
prices  of  its  issues.  An  able  committee,  to  whom  the  sub- 


AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY 


33 


ject  had  been  intrusted,  presented  a comprehensive  and 
valuable  report,  which  was  adopted  by  the  Board,  and 
from  which  the  following  extracts  are  given  : 

“This  Society  is,  by  its  Constitution,  shut  up  to  a 
line  of  action  which  allows  of  no  profit  whatever  on  sales. 
The  Illd  Article  of  this  Constitution  reads  thus  : 

“ ‘All  Bible  societies  shall  be  allowed  to  purchase,  at 
cost,  from  this  Society,  Bibles  for  distribution  within  their 
own  districts. ’ 

11  The  IXth  Article  provides  thus  : 

“ ‘ Each  member  of  the  Society  shall  be  entitled,  under 
the  direction  of  the  Board  of  Managers,  to  purchase  Bibles 
and  Testaments  at  the  Society’s  prices,  which  shall  be  as 
low  as  possible.’  ” 

In  accordance  with  these  views,  the  Bibles  and  Testa- 
ments published  by  the  Society  are  sold  uniformly  for  cash, 
without  discount,  at  the  list  (or  cost)  prices,  to  all  purchas- 
ers, with  the  sole  exception  that  to  auxiliary  societies  and 
dealers  in  books  a discount  of  ten  per  cent  is  made.  And 
in  order  to  avoid  all  charges  of  speculation  in  the  Society’s 
books,  the  auxiliaries  are  earnestly  requested  to  carry  out 
the  benevolent  design  of  the  Parent  Society  by  selling 
books  at  first  cost  when  they  are  able,  and  in  no  case  to 
add  more  than  the  cost  of  transportation  and  depository 
expenses.  The  Society  publishes  at  the  Bible  House,  at 
the  present  time,  English  Bibles  and  Testaments  in  a great 
variety  of  sizes,  ranging  from  Great  Primer  to  Diamond 
type,  with  all  the  intermediate  sizes  of  type,  and  puts  them 
up  in  from  four  to  six  different  styles  of  binding.  It 
also  publishes  a limited  number  of  sizes  of  the  American 
Standard  Revision  Bibles  and  Testaments. 

In  the  manufacture  of  books  by  the  Society  the  great- 
est pains  are  taken  to  secure  the  most  durable  material  and 
the  most  thorough  workmanship,  and  it  is  confidently 
believed  that  in  accuracy,  durability,  and  neatness  its 
publications  are  superior  to  any  books  of  foreign  or 
home  production  which  can  be  offered  at  corresponding 
prices. 


34 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


45*  The  Past  and  Present  Cost  of  the  Bible 

Before  the  invention  of  the  art  of  printing  the  Bible 
was  reproduced  exclusively  by  briefmen  or  copyists,  who 
wrote  it  out  with  the  pen.  It  was  then  the  most  expensive 
book  in  the  world . Dr.  Plumer,  in  his  tract,  11  How  to  Use 
the  Bible, 11  states  that  11  in  the  thirteenth  century,  in 
England,  two  arches  of  London  Bridge  cost  £25.  At  the 
same  time  a copy  of  the  Bible,  with  a few  explanatory 
notes,  cost  £30.  Then  the  wages  of  a laborer,  if  found, 
amounted  to  but  ninepence  a week.’ 1 In  other  words  the 
cost  of  such  a Bible  was  equal  to  the  entire  earnings  in 
money  of  a laboring  man  for  over  fifteen  years. 

Even  after  the  invention  of  printing  the  Bible  could  not 
be  obtained,  for  a long  time,  except  at  fabulous  prices.  At 
so  late  a period  as  that  of  the  American  Revolution,  the 
very  cheapest  editions  of  the  Bible  were  valued  at  not  less 
than  two  dollars  a volume  ; whereas  the  American  Bible 
Society  furnishes  the  entire  Scriptures  in  German  for  thirty 
cents,  and  in  English  for  seventeen  cents.  The  New  Tes- 
tament, in  English,  is  sold  for  six  cents;  so  that  the  Bible 
has  become  the  very  cheapest  book  in  the  world. 

46.  The  Society's  Standard  English  Text 

All  copies  of  the  Scriptures  in  the  English  language 
which  are  of  the  original  form  of  the  version  commonly 
known  as  the  King  James  version  and  are  circulated  by 
this  Society,  are  conformed  to  one  standard.  The  stand- 
ard was  prepared  with  much  painstaking  after  a collation 
of  various  English  and  Scotch  publications,  including  a 
copy  printed  in  1611.  This  collation  was  made  by  the  late 
Rev.  James  W.  M’Lane,  D.D.,  and  was  brought  to  its 
completion  May  1,  1851,  under  the  direction  of  the  Com- 
mittee onVersions,  then  consisting  of  the  Rev.  Drs.  Spring, 
Turner,  Robinson,  Vermilye,  M’Clintock,  and  Storrs,  and 
Thomas  Cock,  M.D.  The  collation  extended  to  all  the  de- 
tails of  typography,  capital  letters,  words  in  italic,  punc- 
tuation, hyphens,  brackets,  etc.  ; and  although  the  number 


AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY 


35 


of  variations  or  discrepancies  noted  in  the  text  and  punc- 
tuation of  the  six  copies  compared  were  numerous,  there 
was  not  one  of  the  entire  number  which  7narred  the  integ- 
rity of  the  text  or  affected  any  doctrine  or  precept  of  the 
Bible . Id  reducing  these  variations  to  one  uniform  standard, 
the  committee  made  a few  changes  which  they  considered 
typographical  corrections  of  the  text,  and  also  modernized 
somewhat  the  chapter  headings  and  other  accessories  of  the 
text ; but  as  this  part  of  their  work  gave  dissatisfaction  in 
some  quarters,  the  Managers  concluded  so  far  to  modify 
the  new  standard  as  to  omit  every  alteration  which  had  not 
the  sanction  of  previous  editions.  This  was  accordingly 
done,  and  the  result  is  found  in  the  volumes  now  pub- 
lished, which  are  considered  remarkably  free  from  errors 
of  the  press,  and  which  contain  the  English  Scriptures, 
conformed  as  nearly  as  possible  to  the  best  editions  which 
have  been  in  circulation  for  generations. 

47*  Principles  on  Which  Foreign  Translations 
Are  Aided 

The  By-laws  of  the  Board  of  Managers  assign  to  the 
Committee  on  Versions  the  charge  of  all  translations  of 
the  Bible  published  or  distributed  by  the  Society,  and 
make  it  their  duty  to  recommend  measures  for  securing 
new  versions  and  to  inquire  into  the  catholicity  and 
fidelity  of  such  translations  as  may  be  presented  for 
adoption. 

In  the  administration  of  this  trust  it  is  the  aim  of  the 
Board  to  favor  such  foreign  versions  only  as  in  point  of 
fidelity  and  catholicity  are  conformed  to  the  principles 
upon  which  the  Society  was  originally  founded,  and  such 
as  may  be  consistently  used  and  circulated  by  all  the 
religious  denominations  represented  in  it.  In  all  cases 
where  it  is  practicable,  the  approbation  of  a committee  of 
missionaries,  or  others  who  are  skilled  in  the  language,  is 
a pre-requisite  to  the  acceptance  of  a new  version  in  a for- 
eign tongue. 


36 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


48*  Progress  in  Bible  Translation 

Many  are  interested  in  knowing  the  number  of  lan- 
guages and  dialects  in  which  the  Scriptures  have  been 
published.  The  Rev.  James  S.  Dennis,  D.D.,  the  distin- 
guished scholar  and  expert  in  missionary  science  and  his- 
tory, published  in  1902,  in  his  “ Centennial  Survey  of 
Foreign  Missions, n an  authoritative  chronology  and  his- 
tory of  Bible  translation.  According  to  his  summary  of 
results  the  number  of  ancient  and  standard  versions  of 
the  Bible  is  22,  and  the  number  of  modern  and  mission- 
ary versions  is  456,  of  which  446  were  made  during  the 
nineteenth  century.*  Since  these  tables  were  compiled 
11  new  names  have  appeared  in  the  list  of  Bible  versions, 
bringing  the  number  at  the  end  of  1903  up  to  467.  Of  these 
467  missionary  versions,  121  are  in  African  languages,  52 
in  American  languages,  177  in  Asiatic  languages,  60  in 
languages  of  Australia  and  Oceanica,  and  57  in  European 
languages.  Taking  the  ancient  and  standard  versions  of 
the  Scriptures  and  the  modern  and  missionary  versions 
together,  we  have  a total  of  489  versions.  Of  these  46  have 
become  obsolete,  leaving  443  versions  as  the  number  now 
in  circulation. 

The  American  Bible  Society  has  aided  in  the  translation, 
printing,  or  distribution  of  the  Scriptures  in  the  following 
languages  and  dialects,  and  others  not  recorded  : 

European  Languages. — Albanian,  Bohemian,  Bul- 
garian, Croatian,  Danish,  Dutch,  English  (and  Revised 
American  Standard),  Esthonian  (Reval),  Finnish,  French, 


* Of  these  456  missionary  versions,  236  are  translations  of  a portion 
only  of  the  Scriptures  ; 121  are  translations  of  the  New  Testament 
only,  and  99  are  translations  of  the  entire  Bible.  Of  these  versions 
also,  39  are  mere  transliterations  : as,  for  instance,  the  Turkish  in  Ar- 
menian and  the  Turkish  in  Greek  letters,  both  of  which  are  mere 
transliterations  of  the  Western  Turkish  version.  One  cannot  ignore 
transliterations,  since  the  cost  of  printing  them  is  the  same  as  that  of 
printing  a separate  version.  At  the  same  time,  they  are  not  entitled 
to  rank  among  translations  of  the  Bible  in  the  same  sense  as  the 
versions  upon  which  they  are  based. 


A WEST  AFRICAN  SCHOOL  USING  NEW  BULU  GOSPELS 


AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY 


37 


Gaelic,  German  and  Hebrew-German  (Yiddish),  Greek 
and  Modern  Greek,  Hungarian,  Icelandic,  Irish,  Italian, 
Latin,  Lettish,  Lithuanian,  Norwegian  (and  the  same  in 
Homan  letters),  Polish,  Portuguese,  Houmanian,  Russian, 
Huthenian,  Slavic,  Slovak,  Slovenian,  Spanish  and  Heb- 
rew Spanish,  Swedish  (and  the  same  in  Roman  letters), 
Welsh. 

Asiatic  Languages. — Ainu,  Arabic,  Armenian  (An- 
cient, Ararat,  Modern),  Burmese,  Canarese,  Cambodian, 
Chinese  (Classical,  Easy  Wenli,  Mandarin,  Amoy  Collo- 
quial, Canton  Colloquial,  Foochow  Colloquial,  Hainan 
Colloquial,  Hinghua  Colloquial,  Niugpo  Colloquial, 
Shanghai  Colloquial,  and  the  same  in  Roman  letters, 
Soochow  Colloquial,  Swatow Colloquial),  Hebrew,  Hindi, 
Hindi  Kumaoni,  Japanese,  Japanese-Chinese,  Korean, 
Korean-Chinese,  Kurdish,  Laos,  Marathi,  Mongolian,  Pa- 
hari,  Persian,  Punjabi,  Siamese,  Syriac  (Ancient  and 
Modern),  Tamil,  Telugu,  Turkish,  Turkish  of  Azerbai- 
jan, Turkish  in  Armenian  letters,  Turkish  in  Greek  letters, 
Urdu  or  Hindustani. 

African  Languages.— Benga,  Bulu,  Dikele,  Grebo, 
Mpongwe,  Sheetswa,  Tonga,  Zulu. 

North  American  Languages. — Arapahoe,  Chero- 
kee, Choctaw,  Dakota,  Delaware,  Mohawk,  Muskokee, 
Nez  Perces,  Ojibwa,  Seneca. 

South  American  Languages.— Arrawack,  Aymara, 
Creolese,  Quichuan , 

Pacific  Island  Languages.  — Bicol,  Bisayan  of 
Cebu,  Bisayan  of  Iloilo,  Ebon,  Gilbert  Islands,  Hawaiian, 
Ibanag,  Ilokano,  Kusaien,  Mortlock  Island,  Pampangan, 
Ponape,  Ruk,  Tagalog. 

This  is  indeed  a work  in  which  all  Christian  hearts 
may  well  rejoice,  but  our  gratitude  for  what  has  already 
been  accomplished  by  this  and  similar  societies  should  be 
blended  with  an  intelligent  appreciation  of  the  greater 
work  which  remains  to  be  done.  The  entire  Bible  has 
been  translated  into  one  hundred  and  one  languages  only. 
Moreover,  many  of  the  languages  and  dialects  in  which 


38 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


Scripture  has  been  printed  have  been  supplied  with  but  a 
single  book  of  the  Bible.  It  is  clear  that  the  work  which 
is  yet  to  be  accomplished  will  demand  the  patient  efforts 
of  the  devout  and  benevolent  for  many  coming  years. 

49.  Volumes  Issued  by  the  Society 

The  total  number  of  volumes  issued  by  the  Society, 
from  its  organization  to  the  close  of  the  fiscal  year  March 
31,  1907,  is  80,420,382. 

The  growth  of  this  department  of  the  work  is  shown  by 
the  following  table : 

Issues.  Issues. 

In  the  1st  year.  6,410  copies  In  the  1st  ten  years . 439,580  copies 


a 

10th  “ 

67,134 

u 

a 

2d 

a 

1,549,848 

a 

11 

20th  “ 

221,694 

a 

u 

3d 

a 

2,510,156 

it 

a 

30th  “ 

483,873 

u 

n 

4th 

a 

6,772,338 

n 

a 

40th  “ 

668,265 

a 

a 

5th 

a 

10,513,654 

a 

a 

50th  “ 

1,150,528 

a 

a 

6th 

a 

11,340,190 

a 

n 

60th  “ 

850,470 

i( 

a 

7th 

u 

13,751,880 

u 

u 

70th  “ 

1,437,440 

a 

it 

8th 

it 

14,858,195 

u 

a 

80th  “ 

1.750,283 

a 

n 

9th 

u 

16,773,684 

it 

u 

90th  “ 

2,236,755 

a 

The  total  issues  of  the  Society  in  the  five  years  ending 
March  31,  1905,  amount  to  8,873,464  copies,  a total  greater 
by  more  than  a million  copies  than  the  aggregate  issues  of 
the  Society  in  the  first  thirty- five  years  of  its  existence. 

50*  The  Number  of  Bibles,  Testaments,  and  Por- 
tions Printed 

The  demand  for  the  printed  Bible  has  always  been 
great.  It  is  supposed  that  within  three  years  after  the 
publication  of  the  Great  Bible  in  1539,  no  less  than  twenty- 
one  thousand  copies  were  printed.  Between  1524  and  1611, 
278  editions  of  Bibles  and  Testaments  iu  English  were 
printed.  In  1611,  1612,  and  1613,  five  editions  of  the  King 
James  version  were  published,  besides  separate  editions 
of  the  New  Testament ; and  we  have  some  slight  clew 
to  the  size  of  the  editions  in  the  fact  that  one  person  in 
England  has  recently  collated  no  less  than  seventy  copies 


AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY  39 

of  the  issues  of  1611 ; yet,  after  all,  these  were  the'days  of 
small  things. 

From  its  foundation  in  1804  to  the  end  of  its  102d  year 
in  March,  1907,  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society  has 
issued  203,931,768  copies  of  the  Scriptures,  complete  or  in 
parts,  in  390  different  languages  and  dialects.  The  Ameri- 
can Bible  Society,  from  its  organization  in  1816  to  April 
1,  1907,  has  issued  80,420,382  Bibles,  Testaments,  and  Por- 
tions, in  116  different  languages  out  of  the  489  indicated  in 
Section  48. 

Other  Bible  Societies  have  issued  between  60,000,000 
and  70,000,000,  while  private  publishers  in  Great  Britain, 
the  United  States,  and  elsewhere  have  increased  these 
issues  by  scores  of  millions. 

5\ ♦ Countries  in  Which  the  Scriptures  Are  Now 
Circulated 

The  Scriptures  are  circulated,  at  the  present  day,  among 
nearly  all  the  nations  of  the  earth. 

In  all  European  countries,  including  Spain,  Portugal, 
Italy,  Austria,  Bussia,  Turkey,  and  Greece,  and  even  in 
the  city  of  Borne  itself  the  door  is  fully  open. 

In  Asia  the  Scriptures  are  circulated  largely  through- 
out Japan,  Korea,  and  China,  while  every  other  Asiatic 
country,  excepting  Tibet  and  the  Central  Asia  Khanates, 
furnishes  extended  fields  for  Bible  distribution. 

Africa — north,  south,  east,  and  west — is  also  open,  in- 
cluding Egypt,  where  the  circulation  of  the  Scriptures  has 
greatly  increased. 

In  North  America  there  is  no  hindrance  to  the  work  ; 
even  in  Mexico  there  is  great  demand  for  the  Scriptures. 

In  most  parts  of  Central  and  South  America,  and  in  the 
West  Indies  Islands,  the  way  is  nowr  open  for  distributing 
the  Bible  in. the  language  of  the  people. 

Australia  and  New  Zealand  are  entirely  free  of  access  ; 
almost  all  of  the  South  Sea  islands  are  also  accessible  ; and 
Malaysia,  including  the  Philippine  Islands  and  Borneo, 
offers  no  resistance.  Indeed,  there  are  few  countries  where 


40 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


legal  impediments  to  the  circulation  of  the  Scriptures  exist. 
Such  obstructions  as  may  still  be  met  arise  chiefly  from 
popular  ignorance  and  prejudice,  and  in  some  communities 
from  the  influence  of  the  priesthood. 

52*  Donations  of  Books 

The  number  of  Bibles  and  Testaments  granted  as  dona- 
tions by  the  Society  to  feeble  auxiliaries,  to  missionary 
boards  and  other  benevolent  agencies,  to  Sunday  schools, 
to  seamen,  and  to  the  army  and  the  navy,  without  includ- 
ing those  printed  at  the  Society’s  expense  in  foreign  lands, 
is  to  be  reckoned  by  millions.  If  to  this  number  be  added 
the  donations  of  books  made  by  all  its  auxiliaries,  some 
idea  may  be  formed  of  the  extent  of  the  gratuitous  distri- 
bution of  Scripture  accomplished  through  the  American 
Bible  Society. 

53*  Grants  of  Money- 

Grants  in  money  made  by  the  Society  and  paid  over, 
for  the  most  part,  to  the  various  foreign  missionary  boards 
of  this  country,  cannot  readily  be  distinguished  from  the 
expenditures  made  directly  by  the  Society  in  other  lands  ; 
but  up  to  the  close  of  the  ninety- first  fiscal  year, 
$6,345,826.87  have  been  expended  upon  the  foreign  field. 
The  expansion  of  the  work  in  this  direction  is  shown  by 
comparing  the  expenditure  of  the  first  decade,  which  was 
$2,333,  with  the  expenditure  of  the  ten  years  ending  March 
31, 1906,  which  was  $1,895,088.95.  It  may  be  added  that  the 
amount  devoted  to  the  foreign  field  in  the  last  ten  years 
is  much  greater  than  the  entire  expenditure  for  that  pur- 
pose during  the  first  half  century  of  the  Society’s  history. 

54*  The  Supply  of  Destitute  Sabbath  Schools 

From  the  first  year  of  its  existence  the  Society  has  con- 
tributed toward  the  supply  of  destitute  Sabbath  schools  in 
every  portion  of  the  United  States.  In  the  year  1831  the 
Board  of  Managers  passed  the  following  resolution  : “ That 
they  view  with  great  satisfaction  the  efforts  of  the  present 


AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY 


41 


day  to  encourage  the  study  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures  in 
Sunday  schools  ; and  that  they  shall  always  feel  disposed 
so  far  as  they  are  able,  to  aid  such  schools,  of  every  relig- 
ious denomination,  by  furnishing,  at  reduced  prices  or 
gratuitously,  through  their  respective  unions,  such  Bibles 
and  Testaments  as  may  be  needed.7 1 Since  the  adoption 
of  that  resolution  the  Society  has  made  grants  of  books  to 
destitute  Sabbath  schools  to  the  number  of  more  than  one 
million  volumes ; and,  in  addition  to  these,  probably  as 
many  more  have  been  gratuitously  contributed  to  the  same 
object  by  the  Society’s  auxiliaries,  within  their  respective 
fields.  Notwithstanding  this  distribution,  it  was  found, 
in  1890,  that  comparatively  few  of  the  8,000,000  children 
who  were  estimated  as  attending  Sunday  school,  possessed 
a Bible  which  they  could  call  their  own.  In  that  year, 
therefore,  the  Board  of  Managers  resolved  that,  so  far  as 
possible,  this  want  should  be  supplied,  and  to  this  end 
sought  the  co-operation  of  all  the  auxiliary  Bible  societies, 
and  of  pastors,  Christian  parents,  Sunday-school  superin- 
tendents, and  teachers  ; and  thus  a great  impetus  was  given 
to  this  special  work. 

55*  Distribution  of  the  Scriptures  in  the  United 
States  Army 

The  Society  has  at  all  times  endeavored  to  meet  its  re- 
sponsibilities toward  the  army.  But  its  efforts  in  this 
direction  were  very  greatly  increased  during  the  Civil  War. 
During  the  war  nearly  a million  and  a half  of  Bibles  and 
Testaments,  furnished  gratuitously  by  this  Society,  were 
circulated  in  the  army  through  the  agencies  of  the  United 
States  Christian  Commission  alone.  It  is  estimated  that 
up  to  the  last  of  March,  1870,  the  Society  had  distributed 
gratuitously  among  soldiers  not  far  from  two  and  a half 
million  volumes,  besides  having  made  grants  of  more  than 
half  a million  volumes  for  the  soldiers  of  the  seceding 
states.  There  were  issued  for  the  army  and  navy  during 
the  Spanish- American  War  78,509  volumes,  which  were 


42 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


distributed  very  largely  through  the  co-operation  of  the 
Young  Men’s  Christian  Association. 

The  amount  of  additional  work  done  in  this  department 
by  auxiliary  societies  cannot  be  accurately  ascertained. 

56*  Distribution  of  the  Scriptures  among  Seamen 

The  Society  has  been  prompt  to  embrace  every  oppor- 
tunity of  circulating  Scriptures  among  the  naval  forces 
of  the  country,  as  well  as  among  seamen  generally.  For 
the  most  part  this  distribution  has  been  effected  by  auxil- 
iaries, and  especially  by  those  located  in  the  principal 
seaports.  Yet  the  Society  has  granted  directly,  in  this  de- 
partment, hundreds  of  thousands  of  volumes. 

The  auxiliaries  in  Boston,  New  York,  Brooklyn,  Phila- 
delphia, Baltimore,  Mobile,  New  Orleans,  San  Francisco, 
and  other  cities  have  rendered  very  important  service  by 
their  extensive  marine  distribution.  The  number  of  vol- 
umes of  Scripture  distributed  by  the  marine  committee 
of  the  New  York  Bible  Society  to  ships  in  the  harbor, 
from  its  organization  to  October  1, 1906,  is  1,258,825.  Other 
societies  also  report  that  this  branch  of  their  work  receives 
due  attention.  The  American  Seamen’s  Friend  Society, 
the  American  Bethel  Society,  and  kindred  organizations 
have  been  supplied  with  donations  of  the  Scriptures, 
which,  by  their  judicious  distribution,  have  gone  out 
through  many  channels  and  to  all  parts  of  the  world  on 
their  beneficent  mission. 

57*  Distribution  in  Hotels,  on  Steamboats,  and  in 
Railroad  Cars 

Early  in  the  history  of  the  Society,  the  Board  of  Mana- 
gers adopted  a resolution  requesting  auxiliary  societies 
throughout  the  country  to  offer  to  supply  the  guest  rooms 
of  hotels  and  the  cabins  of  steamboats  with  Bibles  of  suit- 
able type  and  binding,  usually  at  half  the  cost  price. 

A wholly  gratuitous  supply  was  not  designed  in  ordinary 
cases,  the  purpose  being  rather,  by  diminishing  the  price 
of  Bibles,  to  induce  the  proprietors  of  hotels  and  steam- 


AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY 


43 


boats  to  purchase.  As  Bibles  in  these  public  places  are 
peculiarly  exposed  to  injury,  it  is  important  that  those 
having  them  in  charge  should  possess  some  pecuniary 
interest  in  them. 

Thus  many  thousands  of  volumes  have  found  their  way 
into  the  dormitories  and  parlors  of  hotels  and  into  the 
saloons  of  steamboats.  In  the  great  centers  of  trade  espe- 
cially, and  on  the  principal  thoroughfares,  this  distribution 
has  been  carefully  made,  and  benefits  difficult  to  measure 
have  thus  been  conferred  upon  the  traveling  community. 

Grants  of  Scriptures  for  the  use  of  the  traveling  public 
have  been  freely  made,  also,  to  the  principal  railroad  cor- 
porations, on  condition  of  their  furnishing  suitable  racks 
and  giving  due  care  to  the  preservation  of  the  books. 
Experience  has  shown,  however,  that  these  books  are  but 
little  read, while  they  are  often  abstracted  from  the  racks, 
making  it  almost  impossible  to  keep  the  cars  supplied. 

58*  Distribution  among  Inmates  of  Public  Institutions 

A liberal  distribution  of  the  Scriptures  among  the  in-  - 
mates  of  charitable  and  penal  institutions  has  been  effected 
through  auxiliary  societies,  who  are  left  to  judge  of  the 
merits  of  the  applications  submitted  to  them.  It  is  impor- 
tant, however,  in  the  case  of  institutions  supported  by  the 
state  rather  than  by  private  charity,  that  measures  be  taken 
to  impress  upon  the  public  authorities  their  responsibility 
toward  the  criminal  and  unfortunate  classes  under  their 
care,  for  whom  they  should  obtain  the  requisite  supplies  of 
Bibles  and  Testaments.  Where  these  efforts  fail,  the  local 
societies  must  exercise  their  best  judgment  as  to  the  steps 
to  be  taken  in  the  premises. 

Such  institutions  are  not  considered,  ordinarily,  as  prop- 
erly falling  among  the  charitable  enterprises  which  are 
directly  assisted  by  this  Society.  Its  aid  is  cheerfully  and 
liberally  extended,  however,  to  national  asylums  and  to 
benevolent  institutions  supported  by  private  benefactions, 
when  the  necessary  grants  cannot  be  obtained  from  the 
auxiliaries. 


44 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


The  work  that  has  been  done  in  these  several  directions 
is  considerable,  and  embraces  many  features  of  interest. 

59*  Distribution  among  Immigrants 

The  immigration  into  the  United  States  from  the  Old 
World  is  immense.  At  the  single  port  of  New  York 
856,159  immigrants,  a daily  average  of  2,345,  were  landed 
in  the  city  of  New  York  during  the  twelve  months  ending 
June,  1906.  The  great  majority  of  these  persons,  represent- 
ing twenty-five  languages,  have  come  hither  destitute  of 
the  Word  of  God  ; and  through  this  Society  and  its  auxil- 
iaries, they  have  been  supplied,  either  immediately  upon 
their  arrival  or  soon  afterward,  with  the  Scriptures  to  the 
extent  of  thousands  of  volumes.  The  New  York  City  Bible 
Society  has  distributed  to  immigrants  during  the  eighty 
years  ending  October  1,  1904,  2,030,088  copies.  Other  aux- 
iliaries have  also  taken  an  interest  in  the  work. 

The  important  bearing  of  this  distribution  upon  the 
best  interests  of  the  land  and  its  institutions  it  is  unneces- 
sary to  affirm. 

60*  Distribution  among  the  Poor 

This  branch  of  the  Society’s  operations  has  always  oc- 
cupied a most  prominent  place.  The  circulation  of  the 
Scriptures  among  the  poor  and  neglected  classes,  in  the 
great  centers  of  population,  on  the  frontier,  and  in  all 
portions  of  the  country,  has  been  very  extensive.  It  is 
impossible  to  state  the  exact  number  of  persons  and  fam- 
ilies who  have  thus  been  gratuitously  supplied  by  this  So- 
ciety and  its  auxiliaries  ; but  the  principle  observed  is  that 
no  one  be  refused  the  Bible  through  inability  to  purchase. 

It  needs  to  be  impressed,  however,  on  local  societies 
and  individual  distributers  that  the  best  interests  of  the 
recipients  are  promoted  by  urging  them  to  pay  at  least  a 
part  of  the  price,  and  as  large  a part  as  possible,  for  the 
books  they  desire.  The  Bible  or  any  portion  of  it  is  more 
highly  esteemed,  and  is  more  likely  to  be  properly  cared 
for  and  used,  when  it  has  cost  its  possessor  something. 


AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY 


45 


Hence,  while  none  are  to  be  denied  on  account  of  their 
poverty,  too  much  care  cannot  be  taken  to  avoid  any  dis- 
tribution that  is  indiscriminate  and  wasteful, 

6\ ♦ Special  Efforts  to  Supply  All  the  Destitute 

In  the  year  1829  the  Society  instituted  a general  explo- 
ration of  the  states  and  territories  of  the  country,  with  a 
view  of  supplying  all  the  destitute  with  the  Word  of  Life. 
It  is  believed  that  every  accessible  family  in  the  more 
settled  portions  of  the  country  was  visited  at  that  time. 

In  the  year  1856  a second  effort  of  the  same  character 
was  entered  upon,  resulting,  within  two  years,  according 
to  the  nearest  estimates,  in  the  supply  of  500,000  destitute 
families  with  the  Sacred  Volume. 

The  third  general  supply  of  the  whole  country  was  be- 
gun in  1866,  as  an  appropriate  method  of  celebrating  the 
completion  of  the  first  half  century  of  the  Society’s  his- 
tory. In  view  of  the  condition  of  the  country  and  its  com- 
posite, widely  spread  population,  rapidly  pushing  its  way 
into  new  regions,  this  undertaking  was  entered  upon  in 
the  face  of  peculiar  difficulties.  The  destitution  was 
known  to  be  immense,  and  much  of  it  not  easily  to  be 
reached.  The  work,  however,  was  vigorously  carried  for- 
ward, with  results  of  the  most  gratifying  character.  It 
included  within  its  comprehensive  reach  the  immigrant, 
the  sailor,  the  soldier,  the  railway  laborer,  the  canal-boat- 
men,  the  miner,  the  lumberman,  and  the  multitudes  or 
all  classes  in  our  cities,  villages,  and  rural  districts,  and 
upon  the  frontier.  Special  attention  was  paid  to  the  freed- 
men ; and  provision  was  made  for  the  Chinese,  who  were 
then  thronging  our  western  shores  and  finding  their  way 
even  to  the  interior  of  the  country. 

From  the  inception  of  this  work  in  1866  to  March  31, 
1882 — a period  of  sixteen  years — the  results  reported  are 
represented  by  the  following  figures  : 

Number  of  families  visited, 8,813,298 

Number  of  families  found  without  the  Scriptures,  . 1,082,558 
Number  of  destitute  families  supplied,  ....  753,760 

Individuals  supplied  in  addition,  , . . . . 488,273 


46 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


The  Board  of  Managers,  at  their  meeting,  April  6, 1882, 
adopted  resolutions  looking  to  a fourth  general  re-supply 
of  the  whole  country  with  the  Scriptures.  The  result  ot 
this  great  undertaking,  as  reported  at  the  close  of  the  year 
ending  March  31,  1890,  were  as  follows : 


Families  visited, 6,309,628 

Families  found  without  the  Scriptures,  ....  757,581 

Families  supplied, 473,806 

Individual  supplied  in  addition,  . . . . . 209,053 


62 ♦ The  Languages  of  the  Distribution 

The  statistics  given  in  the  last  paragraph  do  not  include 
the  distribution  effected  by  the  various  benevolent  institu- 
tions to  which  grants,  in  money  or  books,  have  been  made 
by  the  Society.  And,  doubtless,  not  a little  of  the  work 
done  by  auxiliaries  and  individuals  has  failed  to  be  re- 
ported. The  families  that  refuse  the  Scriptures  are,  for  the 
most  part,  Roman  Catholics. 

It  is  worthy  of  note  that  the  entire  distribution  of  Scrip- 
tures, in  this  country,  during  the  eight  years  embraced 
in  the  fourth  re-supply,  was  8,146,808  copies,  in  twenty- 
seven  different  languages.  Some  of  these  are  as  follows  : 
In  Welsh,  29,287  ; German,  473,920  ; Dutch,  11,807  ; Nor- 
wegian and  Danish,  153,707 ; Swedish,  220,777 ; Italian, 
57,883;  Finnish,  2,314 ; Polish,  2,317;  Hungarian,  2,543; 
Bohemian,  9,924 ; Chinese,  7,243. 

In  comparing  recent  statistics  with  those  of  an  early 
period  of  the  Society’s  history,  it  will  be  found  that  the 
proportion  of  families  in  the  United  States  destitute  of  the 
Scriptures  is  much  smaller  than  it  was  when  the  Society 
was  instituted,  notwithstanding  the  immense  growth  of 
our  population. 

63*  Distribution  by  Colporteurs 

When  the  fourth  re-supply  was  commenced  in  1882, 
the  Managers,  desiring  to  make  it  as  thorough  as  possible, 
determined  to  employ  colporteurs  in  those  parts  of  the 
country  where  there  were  no  auxiliaries  or  where  these 


AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY  47 

were  unable  to  make  a thorough  canvass  of  their  own 
fields. 

A large  number  of  colporteurs  were  engaged  for  this 
work,  and  with  the  most  satisfactory  results.  In  the  eight 
years  which  were  occupied  by  this  re-supply,  the  colpor- 
teurs visited  2,993,144  families,  and  found  418,171  of  these 
without  a Bible  in  their  homes ; they  supplied  309,012, 
and  167,132  individuals  in  addition. 

To  supply  these  families  and  individuals  with  the 
Scriptures  one  million  sixty-seven  thousand  six  hundred 
and  two  copies,  of  the  value  of  $449,634.64,  were  sold  ; and 
three  hundred  and  nine  thousand  five  hundred  and  sixty- 
nine,  of  the  value  of  $75,917.14,  were  donated.  The  sala- 
ries and  expenses  of  the  colporteurs,  including  freight  on 
books,  amounted  to  $404,609.83  ; adding  to  this  the  cost  of 
the  books  donated,  it  gives  a total  expenditure  for  provid- 
ing and  distributing  one  million  three  hundred  and 
seventy-seven  thousand  one  hundred  and  seventy-one 
copies  of  Scriptures,  during  the  eight  years  from  1882  to 
1890,  of  $480,526.97. 

This  form  of  effort  was  proved  to  be  direct  and  efficient; 
but  in  later  years  the  use  of  colporteurs  for  distribution 
through  the  community  has  not  again  been  so  extensively 
resorted  to,  partly  because  the  supply  of  Bibles,  Testa- 
ments, and  portions  of  Scriptures  has  been  multiplied  by 
many  publishing  houses. 

64 ♦ Distribution  among  Freedmen 

Prior  to  April  1,  1863,  applications  for  the  Scriptures  in 
behalf  of  the  freed  people  were  not  very  numerous.  This 
department  of  the  Society's  work,  however,  grew  rapidly 
after  that  date ; and  the  Reports  from  1864  to  1869,  in- 
clusive, show  that  147,345  volumes  had  been  granted,  with- 
in that  period,  directly  for  the  use  of  the  freedmen.  Yet 
even  this  number  represents  but  a small  proportion  of 
what  was  actaally  done  for  this  class,  as  it  does  not  include 
an  extensive  distribution  effected  by  the  auxiliaries.  As 
the  work  became  better  organized,  the  distribution  was 


48 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


more  iargely  left  to  these  local  societies ; and  as  it  is  not 
always  distinguished  from  the  general  work  in  their  re- 
ports, full  and  accurate  statistics  of  their  good  work  can- 
not be  given. 

During  the  year  which  ended  March  31,  1902,  the  Soci- 
ety established  a special  agency  among  the  colored  people. 
The  Rev.  J.  P.  Wragg,  D.D.,  a well  educated  and  capable 
colored  man,  was  appointed  Agent,  with  headquarters  at 
South  Atlanta,  Ga. 

Under  his  superintendency,  colporteurs  are  sent  out 
into  the  southern  states,  to  travel  from  place  to  place  and 
visit  the  people  in  their  own  homes.  Special  depots  have 
been  opened  in  connection  with  some  of  the  leading  schools 
for  the  colored  people.  This  is  a needy  and  important  field 
in  which  excellent  results  have  already  been  obtained. 

Among  the  other  channels  employed  for  circulating  the 
Scriptures  among  the  colored  people,  may  be  mentioned 
the  American  Missionary  Association,  the  National  Freed- 
men?s  Relief  Association,  the  several  Freedmen’s  Aid  Soci- 
eties, the  American  Tract  Society  of  New  York,  the  various 
denominational  Home  Mission  Boards,  and  chaplains, 
teachers,  and  superintendents  of  public  instruction  in  the 
South. 


65*  Foreign  Work  of  the  Society 

The  foreign  work  of  the  Society  is  conducted  directly 
by  its  own  special  Agents  and  colporteurs,  and  indirectly 
through  the  Bible  societies  established  in  other  lands,  or 
through  foreign  missionary  societies  sustained  by  the  vari- 
ous Christian  denominations  of  the  United  States. 

The  Society  has  done  a very  important  work  in  pro- 
moting Bible  translations.  Resolutions  adopted  by  the 
Board  of  Managers  in  1835  expressed  the  interest  which 
they  felt  in  the  efforts  of  American  missionaries,  of  differ- 
ent religious  denominations,  in  translating  the  Scriptures 
into  various  languages  and  dialects,  and  gave  them  en- 
couragement to  expect  aid  in  publishing  any  version  of  the 
Scriptures  correctly  translated  and  made  ready  for  the 


AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY 


49 


press.  In  some  cases  also  the  Society  has  directly  borne 
the  expense  of  translating  and  of  revising,  or  has  made 
appropriations  to  missionary  societies  to  defray  current  ex- 
penses of  translation. 

Thirty  years  ago  the  American  Bible  Society  had  but 
two  special  Agencies  in  foreign  lands  — the  La  Plata 
Agency  and  the  Levant.  That  number  has  been  increased 
to  eleven— five  in  the  western,  and  six  in  the  eastern 
hemisphere,  besides  the  special  Agency  among  the  colored 
people  of  the  South. 

We  have  in  recent  years  established  a most  vigorous 
Agency  in  the  Philippines,  with  headquarters  in  Manila, 
which  is  included  in  the  above  enumeration. 

66 ♦ Bible  Distribution  in  the  Western  Hemisphere 

Cuba  and  Puerto  Rico.— Organized  effort  for  the  cir- 
culation of  the  Scriptures  in  Cuba  began  in  December, 

1882.  The  Rev.  Thomas  L.  Gulick  visited  the  island  on  a 
tour  of  exploration  under  the  auspices  of  this  Society  in 

1883,  and  again  in  1884.  In  December,  1884,  the  Rev.  A.  J. 
McKitn  was  appointed  Agent.  He  remained  until  just 
before  the  Spanish- American  War.  In  1900  he  was  suc- 
ceeded by  the  Rev.  J.  M.  Lopez- Guillen,  who  resigned  in 
1905.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Donald  McLaren  then  took  charge  of 
the  work  in  both  Cuba  and  Puerto  Rico.  He  was  followed 
in  1906  by  the  Rev.  P.  Rioseco,  missionary  of  the  Presby- 
terian Board  of  Home  Missions. 

An  agency  was  established  in  1898  to  cover  the  island 
of  Puerto  Rico  and  the  little  islands  immediately  adjacent. 
The  Rev.  Andrew  J.  McKim  was  appointed  Agent  in  De- 
cember, 1898,  and  remained  there  until  October,  1901.  He 
was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  Donald  McLaren,  who  prose- 
cuted the  work  with  great  vigor  until  May,  1903.  Mr. 
Joseph  W.  Lamb  was  appointed  Agent  in  1903,  and  con- 
tinued in  charge  until  1905,  when  he  resigned.  Mr.  W.  F. 
Gloeckner  then  acted  as  sub-agent  until  1907.  The  circula- 
tion in  the  West  Indies  Agency  up  to  April  1,  1907,  was 
234,536  volumes. 


50 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


Mexico. — Grants  and  consignments  of  the  Scriptures 
were  sent  by  this  Society  to  various  parts  of  Mexico  from 
1826  onward.  In  1834  Mr.  Sumner  Bacon  was  appointed 
Agent  for  what  was  then  the  province  of  Texas.  The 
Rev.  William  H.  Norris  was  sent  in  1848  as  a special 
Agent  to  Mexico  City,  then  occupied  by  the  United 
States  troops.  Intelligence  is  still  received  from  time  to 
time  of  the  good  accomplished  by  copies  of  the  Scriptures 
distributed  among  the  people  of  that  country  during  the 
Mexican  War.  The  labors  of  Miss  Melinda  Rankin  on 
the  border,  in  1852  and  later,  led  to  the  introduction  of 
many  copies  of  the  Scriptures  into  Mexico.  Then  followed 
the  appointment,  in  succession,  of  the  Rev.  R.  P.  Thomp- 
son, the  Rev.  James  Hickey,  and  Mr.  Thos.  M.  Westrup 
as  Agents  of  the  Society.  In  1878  Dr.  Arthur  Gore  was 
sent  to  represent  the  Society  and  reside  in  the  capital, 
and  a year  later  the  Rev.  H.  P.  Hamilton  succeeded  him, 
remaining  in  charge  of  the  Agency  until  his  death  in 
August,  1905.  The  circulation  in  1906  was  26,474  volumes, 
a total  of  593,271  volumes  since  the  establishment  of  the 
Agency.  Colporteurs  have  been  employed  in  every  state 
of  the  republic. 

Central  America. — Work  in  Central  America  was 
commenced  in  the  autumn  of  1892  by  the  Rev.  Joseph 
Norwood,  Agent  for  Venezuela  and  Colombia,  assisted  by 
the  Rev.  Francis  G.  Penzotti,  who  was  soon  appointed  to 
the  Central  American  Agency.  As  the  result  of  their  joint 
labors,  more  than  10,000  copies  of  Bibles  and  Portions 
were  sold  during  six  months  ending  May  1,  1893.  The 
circulation  is  largely  in  the  Spanish  language.  During 
the  year  1906, 18,677  copies  were  circulated,  making  a total 
circulation  since  the  establishment  of  the  Agency  of 
173,515  volumes. 

The  Agent,  the  Rev.  Francis  G.  Penzotti,  resides  at 
Guatemala  City.  He  is  assisted  in  his  labors  by  several 
efficient  and  devoted  colporteurs,  natives  of  the  country. 

La  Plata. — The  La  Plata  Agency  includes  Uruguay, 
Paraguay,  Argentine  Republic,  Bolivia,  Chili,  Peru,  Ecua- 


OBJECTS  GIVEN  TO 

AMERICAN  .BIBLE  SOCIETY 

XCHANCE  FOR  SCRIPTURES 


ACCEPTED  BY  COLPORTEURS  IN  BARTER 


AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY 


51 


dor  and  Colombia — a field  which  equals  two-thirds  the 
area  of  the  United  States.  Two  years  after  the  American 
Bible  Society  was  organized  it  printed  the  New  Testament 
in  Spanish,  and  in  subsequent  years  many  volumes  were 
sent  to  various  parts  of  South  America.  In  1864  Mr. 
Andrew  M.  Milne  became  the  Agent  of  the  La  Plata  field, 
portions  of  which,  at  various  times  during  the  previous 
thirty  years,  had  been  visited  by  representatives  of  the 
Society  who  were  sent  out  on  tours  of  exploration.  The 
Scriptures  have  been  circulated  in  ten  languages.  The 
issues  from  the  La  Plata  Agency  in  1906  were  59,316  vol- 
umes, making  a total  since  its  establishment  of  854,812 
volumes. 

Brazil. — The  Scriptures  were  freely  sent  to  Brazil  for 
many  years  before  1855,  when  the  Bev.  J.  C.  Fletcher  was 
commissioned  to  represent  the  Society  in  the  old  empire. 
He  was  succeeded,  in  the  order  named,  by  Mr.  Robert 
Nesbit,  the  Rev.  A.  L.  Blackford,  and  the  Rev.  William 
M.  Brown.  The  latter  resigned  in  1887, and  was  succeeded 
the  same  year  by  the  Rev.  H.  C.  Tucker,  who  is  still  in 
charge.  The  Scriptures  circulated  are  for  the  most  part 
in  Portuguese.  A better  version  of  the  Bible  in  this  lan- 
guage is  greatly  needed. 

There  have  been  two  versions  of  the  Bible  generally 
circulated.  The  American  Bible  Society  has  used  espe- 
cially the  Almeida  translation.  A committee  composed  of 
missionaries  and  Brazilian  literary  men,  under  the  lead- 
ership of  the  Rev.  H.  C.  Tucker,  is  now  engaged  in  pre- 
paring a new  translation,  based  upon  the  Greek  and 
Hebrew  text,  of  which  tentative  editions  of  the  Gospels 
and  Acts  have  been  printed.  In  this  slow  and  expensive 
work  the  American  and  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Socie- 
ties co-operate. 

The  total  circulation  in  Brazil  from  the  establishment 
of  the  Agency  to  the  end  of  1906  has  been  586,644  volumes. 

Venezuela  and  Colombia. — An  Agency  was  estab- 
lished in  1888  in  Venezuela  and  Colombia.  The  Rev. 
Joseph  Norwood  became  Agent  in  May,  1891,  and  for  sev- 


52 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


eral  years  carried  on  an  important  and  hopeful  work0 . 
There  were  distributed  103,874  copies  of  the  Bible  and  Por- 
tions, chiefly  in  the  Spanish  language.  Political  disturb- 
ances in  Colombia  interrupted  the  enterprises  and  even 
the  correspondence  of  the  Agent  with  New  York.  In 
1904  special  animosity  having  been  directed  toward  citizens 
of  the  United  States,  the  Agent  was  recalled  and  the 
Agency  administered  in  connection  with  the  West  Indian 
and  La  Plata  Agencies  and  by  direct  correspondence  from 
the  Bible  House.  The  Rev.  Gerard  A.  Bailly,  a missionary 
residing  at  Caracas,  has  given  attention  since  1901  to  the 
distribution  of  the  Scriptures  in  Venezuela.  In  1904  this 
correspondent  reports  that  6,688  persons  in  twenty-three 
Venezuelan  towns  were  visited  by  his  colporteurs. 

Hayti. — The  Society  is  in  correspondence  with  mis- 
sionaries laboring  in  Hayti,  to  whom  it  makes  occasional 
small  grants  of  books. 

We  may  conclude  this  outline  of  the  Society’s  foreign 
work  in  the  Americas  by  noting  that  the  aggregate  of 
circulation  reported  to  the  end  of  1906  by  its  Agencies  in 
Latin  America  (including  the  West  Indies)  is  2,547,140 
copies,  of  which  164,995  copies  were  distributed  in  1906. 

Hawaiian  Islands  and  Micronesia.— In  Hawaii 
the  Society  is  in  co-operation  with  the  Hawaiian  Evangel- 
ical Association.  In  Micronesia  it  co-operates  with  the 
American  Board,  reaching  by  this  channel  the  Gilbert 
Islands,  the  Marshall  Islands,  some  of  the  Carolines,  and 
the  island  of  Guam. 

67*  Bible  Distribution  in  the  Eastern  Hemisphere 

Levant. — This  Agency  comprises  European  Turkey, 
including  eastern  Roumelia  and  a part  of  Bulgaria,  and 
Asiatic  Turkey,  including  Syria  and  Egypt.  The  first 
Agent,  Dr.  S.  H.  Calhoun,  was  appointed  in  1836.  He  re- 
signed after  eight  years  of  service,  and  for  ten  years  Bible 
distribution  in  this  field  was  transacted  through  the  mis- 
sionaries of  the  American  Board  of  Commissioners  for  For- 
eign Missions.  The  Rev.  C.  N.  Righter  was  placed  in 


AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY 


53 


charge  of  the  Agency  in  1854,  but  his  labors  were  soon 
terminated  by  his  death.  He  was  succeeded,  in  1857,  by 
the  Rev.  Isaac  G.  Bliss,  who  continued  in  the  service  of 
the  Society,  with  headquarters  at  Constantinople,  until 
his  death  in  1889.  A full  and  interesting  account  of  the 
work  accomplished  under  his  oversight  for  twenty-five 
years  appears  in  the  Annual  Report  of  the  Society  for 
1883.  The  Rev.  Marcellus  Bowen,  D.D.,  who  was  ap- 
pointed Assistant  Agent  in  1888,  took  charge  of  this  field 
in  1889.  Dr.  Bowen  is  still  the  Agent  of  the  Society,  with 
headquarters  at  Constantinople.  The  Scriptures  are  cir- 
culated in  the  field  of  the  Levant  Agency  in  about  thirty 
languages,  with  a total  issue  of  2,463,509  volumes  in  the 
forty-seven  years  ending  December  31,  1906. 

Persia. — In  1880  the  Rev.  W.  L.  Whipple  was  appoint- 
ed Agent  for  Persia,  the  work  having  previously  been  con- 
ducted in  connection  with  the  Levant  Agency.  Since  his 
death  in  1901,  the  work  of  Bible  distribution  in  Persia  has 
been  faithfully  supervised  by  missionaries  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church. 

Bible  work  in  Persia  has  suffered  serious  obstruction 
during  three  years  past  through  an  edict  of  the  Persian 
Government,  which  forbids  the  importation  into  Persia  of 
either  the  Arabic,  Turkish  Azerbaijani,  or  Persian  Scrip- 
tures. In  spite  of  this,  the  work  of  Bible  distribution  has 
been  vigorously  pressed  on  the  part  of  the  missionaries  of 
the  West  Persia  Mission  and  the  East  Persia  Mission  of 
the  Presbyterian  Board  in  the  United  States  of  America. 

Mr.  John  Mooshie,  a native  Christian,  superintends  the 
Bible  work  at  Urumia.  The  Rev.  L.  E.  Esselstyn  has 
general  oversight  of  Bible  work  in  the  field  of  eastern 
Persia. 

China. — The  first  regular  Agent  of  the  American  Bible 
Society  in  China  was  the  Rev.  Luther  H.  Gulick,  M.D., 
who  was  appointed  in  1876.  Japan  was  at  first  included 
with  China  under  his  care,  but  was  made  a distinct 
Agency  in  1881.  Afterward  Siam  was  a'dded,  but  was 
itself  also  made  independent  in  1889.  Dr.  Gulick  was 


54 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


obliged  by  the  state  of  his  health  to  resign  his  position  in 
1890,  and  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  L.  N.  Wheeler,  D.D., 
who  remained  in  charge  of  that  field  until  his  death  in 
April,  1893.  The  Rev.  John  R.  Hykes,  D.D.,  was  ap- 
pointed to  succeed  him  the  same  year,  and  is  in  charge 
now.  The  Rev.  H.  V.  S.  Meyers,  D.D.,  has  recently 
been  appointed  his  assistant.  The  distribution  in  1906 
amounted  to  497,659  volumes,  a total  of  10,488,881  volumes 
since  the  establishment  of  the  Agency. 

Siam  and  Laos. — The  Agency  in  Siam  was  established 
in  1889,  and  the  Laos  country  was  added  in  1890.  The  cir- 
culation is  in  the  Siamese  and  Laos  languages.  The  print- 
ing is  done  largely  at  Bangkok.  The  circulation  since  the 
establishment  of  a separate  Agency  is  482,476  and  in  1906 
it  was  40,676  copies.  The  Agent  is  the  Rev.  John  Carring- 
ton, Bangkok,  Siam. 

Japan.— Japan  was  connected  with  China  under  the 
care  of  Dr.  Gulick  from  1876  to  1881,  when  the  Rev.  Henry 
Loomis  was  appointed  Agent.  In  1872  the  Society  made 
a grant  to  promote  the  publication  of  some  of  the  Gospels. 
It  subsequently  assumed  the  support  of  the  missionaries 
S.  R.  Brown  and  D.  C.  Greene,  then  engaged  in  transla- 
tion work,  and  bore  a considerable  part  of  the  expense  of 
translating  the  New  Testament,  which  appeared  in  parts 
and  was  completed  in  1880.  The  first  edition  of  the  entire 
Bible  appeared  in  1888,  other  Bible  societies  uniting  in  the 
work.  An  edition  with  full  references  was  published  in 
1889.  In  1883  the  entire  Bible  was  issued  in  Chino- 
Japanese.  The  Gospels  and  A^ts  in  Chino-Korean  have 
been  published  as  a means  of  access  to  the  educated  classes, 
and  a Korean  version  of  Mark,  made  at  the  Society’s  ex- 
pense by  Rijutei,  was  printed  in  Japan  in  1885. 

An  arrangement  was  made  in  1890  between  the  Amer- 
ican Bible  Society,  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society, 
and  the  National  Bible  Society  of  Scotland,  by  which  the 
oversight  of  the  publication  and  distribution  of  the  Scrip- 
tures was  intrusted  to  a committee  of  twelve  persons,  one- 
half  of  the  expense  being  borne  by  the. American  Bible 


AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY 


55 


Society.  This  arrangement  terminated  December  31, 1903. 
The  joint  Agency  was  then  divided  and  the  northern  half 
of  the  empire  was  assigned  to  the  American  Bible  Soci- 
ety. There  were  605,380  volumes  issued  by  the  Japan 
Agency  from  its  establishment  to  July  1,  1890,  at  which 
time  the  work  in  that  field  was  committed  to  the  over- 
sight of  the  Bible  Societies7  Committee.  The  circulation 
in  1906  reached  a total  of  120,455  copies,  and  the  total  circu- 
lation of  the  American  Bible  Society  in  Japan  was  1,870,289 
copies. 

Korea. — The  Society’s  Agency  in  Korea  was  estab- 
lished in  1882,  and  was  administered  by  the  Agent  for 
Japan.  From  January  1,  1904,  a joint  agency  of  the  Amer- 
ican, the  British  and  Foreign,  and  the  Scottish  National 
Bible  Society,  carried  on  the  work  in  Korea.  For  some 
years  a committee  has  been  engaged  upon  the  translation 
of  the  Bible.  The  New  Testament  has  been  tentatively 
printed.  The  circulation  credited  to  the  American  Bible 
Society  in  1906  was  50,918  copies. 

Philippine  Islands. — This  Agency  was  established 
in  1899.  It  covers  work  throughout  the  archipelago.  Its 
circulation  is  largely  in  the  Spanish,  the  Tagalog,  Bisayan, 
and  other  Malay  dialects,  besides  English,  Chinese,  and 
some  other  languages.  The  circulation  during  seven  years, 
including  1906,  made  a total  of  645,541  copies. 

Europe. — The  Society  has  no  established  Agencies  in 
Europe.  It  has,  however,  correspondents  in  Norway, 
Sweden,  Russia,  Germany,  Switzerland,  France,  Spain, 
Italy,  and  Austria.  The  circulation  in  1904,  reported  by 
these  correspondents,  amounted  to  about  30,000  volumes. 

Africa. — In  Africa  the  Society  co-operates  with  mis- 
sions in  various  parts  of  the  continent,  both  in  preparing 
and  in  circulating  the  Scriptures.  In  Natal,  southeastern 
Africa,  it  is  in  correspondence  with  the  American  Board’s 
Zulu  Mission  ; in  Portuguese  East  Africa,  with  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Mission  at  Inhambane ; in  Liberia,  with 
each  of  the  American  Missions;  and  in  Kamerun,  the 
French  Congo  Colony,  and  the  Spanish  possessions  of  the 


56 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


Rio  Muni,  with  the  American  Presbyterian  Corisco  and 
Gaboon  missions.  As  to  North  Africa,  the  Society’s  work 
in  Egypt  is  in  the  sphere  of  the  Levant  Agency,  already 
mentioned,  while  its  splendid  Arabic  version  of  the  Bible 
finds  circulation  in  the  Barbary  States,  and  occasionally 
penetrates  to  the  Mohammedan  settlements  of  the  Sahara 
and  beyond. 

68*  Books  of  Reference 

Those  who  desire  more  extended  and  minute  informa- 
tion in  relation  to  the  history  of  the  English  Bible  or  the 
Bible  Societies  will  find  the  following  named  works  use- 
ful : 

HISTORY  OF  THE  ENGLISH  BIBLE 

Anderson — Annals  of  the  English  Bible. 

Lewis — History  of  English  Translations. 

Westcott,  B.  F. — History  of  English  Bible;  London, 
1868  ; Revised  Edition,  1905. 

Eadie,  John — History  of  English  Bible ; London, 
1876. 

Smith — The  Authorized  Version  (in  Bible  Dictionary). 

Bible  of  Every  Land. 

Carleton — The  Part  of  Rheims  in  the  Making  of  the 
English  Bible  ; Oxford,  1902. 

Bissell,  E.  C. — Historic  Origin  of  the  Bible. 

Forbes,  A.  H. — The  Book  Wonderful ; London,  1901. 

Mears,  D.  O.— The  Deathless  Book  ; Boston,  1888. 

Townsend,  L.  T. — The  Bible  and  other  Ancient  Liter- 
ature in  the  Nineteenth  Century. 

Boyes,  J.— The  Englishman’s  Bible;  How  He  Got  It 
and  Why  He  Keeps  It ; London. 

Chamberlain,  L.  T. — History  of  the  Bible  and  History 
of  the  New  Revision  ; Norwich,  Conn.,  1881. 

Lovett,  R. — The  Printed  English  Bible. 

Hoare,  H.  W. — Evolution  of  the  English  Bible,  1382  to 
1885;  London,  1901. 

Conant,  Mrs.  H.  C.— The  English  Bible;  History  of  the 
Translations  into  English  ; New  York,  1856. 


AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY  5? 

Moulton,  W.  F. — History  of  the  English  Bible  ; Lon- 
don, 1878. 

Newcome,  W. — Historical  View  of  the  English  Trans- 
lations. 

PARTICULAR,  EDITIONS 

Dobson,  W.  T. — History  of  the  Bassandyne  Bible ; 
London,  1887. 

Kenyon,  F.  G. — Our  Bible  and  the  Ancient  MSS.  ; 
London,  1898. 

Henderson,  M.  H. — Canon  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  with 
Remarks  upon  the  King  James  Version,  the  Latin  Vul- 
gate, and  the  Douay  Version  ; 1853. 

Marsh,  Herbert — History  of  the  Translations  of  the 
Scriptures  ; London,  1842. 

Westwood,  J.  O. — Palseographica  Sacra  Pictoria  (illus- 
trations of  MSS.);  London,  1843. 

Scrivener — Cambridge  Paragraph  Bible. 

Fry — The  Great  Bible  of  1539. 

LISTS  OF  EDITIONS 

O’Callagan — Catalogue  of  American  Bibles. 

Wright — Early  Bibles  of  America. 

Cotton,.  Henry — Editions  of  the  Bible  in  English  from 
1505  to  1850  ; Oxford,  1852. 

Dore,  J.  R. — Old  Bibles ; An  Account  of  Versions  of 
the  English  Bible  ; London,  1876. 

Loftie,  W.  J. — A Century  of  Bibles,  1611  to  1711  (Lists 
in  Libraries);  London,  1872. 

Maubert,  J.  T. — Handbook  of  the  English  Versions ; 
New  York,  1883. 

Scrivener,  F.  H.  A. — The  Authorized  English  Bible, 
Reprints  and  Modern  Representatives  ; Cambridge,  1884. 

QUESTIONS  OF  THE  TRANSLATION 

Condit,  Blackford — (In  History  of  the  English  Bible, 
1882)  Revisionaand  Translations  Since  1611. 

Historical  Account  of  the  Work  of  the  American 

Committee  of  Revision  ; New  York,  1885. 


58 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


Fadie,  John — Errors  in  King  James  Version  and  Need 
of  Revision  ; London,  1873. 

McClure — The  Translators  Revived. 

Houghton,  John — Our  English  Bible,  its  Translators 
and  Translations  ; London,  1878. 

THE  BIBLE  SOCIETIES : 

AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY 

Strickland — History  of  the  American  Bible  Society. 

Reports  of  the  American  Bible  Society. 

Bible  Society  Record. 

BRITISH  AND  FOREIGN  BIBLE  SOCIETY 

Canton— History  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible 
Society. 

Owen — History  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible 
Society. 

Brown — History  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible 
Society. 

Dudley — Analysis  of  the  System  of  the  Bible  Society. 

Annual  Reports. 

Bible  in  the  World. 

MISCELLANEOUS 

Douen — History  of  the  Protestant  Bible  Society  of  Paris. 

69*  Jubilee  of  the  American  Bible  Society 

The  year  beginning  April  1,  1865,  was  appropriately 
observed  as  the  Jubilee  year  of  the  Society,  by  the  issuing 
of  an  address  to  the  people  of  the  United  States,  prepared 
by  the  Rev.  William  Adams,  D.D.  ; by  instituting  special 
measures  for  the  supply  of  the  southern  states,  including 
the  freed  people,  with  the  Holy  Scriptures;  by  entering 
upon  the  work  of  electrotyping  and  printing  the  Arabic 
Scriptures,  and  completing  the  revision  . of  Valera’s  Span- 
ish Bible-;  and  by  securing  the  delivery,  by  eminent 
ministers  of  different  denominations,  of  a series  of  dis- 
courses on  appropriate  topics. 


AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY 


59 


The  Society  celebrated  its  Fiftieth  Anniversary  on 
Thursday,  the  10th  day  of  May,  1866,  at  the  Academy  of 
Music,  in  the  city  of  New  York. 

James  Lenox,  Esq.,  President  of  the  Society,  occupied 
the  chair.  The  Rev.  E.  P.  Rogers,  D.D.,  of  New  York, 
read  the  148th  Psalm  and  offered  prayer.  The  President 
delivered  a brief  but  eloquent  address. 

The  Rev.  Gardiner  Spring,  D.D.,  of  New  York,  the 
Rt.  Rev.  Charles  P.  M’llvaine,  D.D.,  of  Ohio,  the  Rev.  J. 
T.  Peck,  D.D.,  president  of  the  California  Bible  Society, 
the  Rev.  Rufus  Anderson,  D.D.,  of  Massachusetts,  Hon. 
Peter  D.  Vroom,  of  New  Jersey,  Hon.  Robert  C.  Win- 
throp,  of  Massachusetts,  the  Rev.  Thomas  Phillips,  D.D., 
and  Rev.  Thomas  Nolan,  delegates  from  the  British  and 
Foreign  Bible  Society,  the  Rev.  Lachlin  Taylor,  D.D., 
and  Rev.  William  Ormiston,  D.D.,  of  Canada,  the  Rev. 
Cesar  Pascal,  delegate  from  the  Bible  Society  of  France, 
the  Rev.  Isaac  G.  Bliss,  of  Constantinople,  the  Rev.  Bishop 
Edmund  S.  Janes,  D.D.,  of  New  York,  the  Rev.  Thomas 
E.  Vermilye,  D.D.,  of  New  York,  Major-General  O.  O. 
Howard  of  the  United  States  Army,  and  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Jonas  King,  of  Athens,  Greece,  severally  took  part  in 
the  exercises  of  the  occasion,  which  were  throughout 
deeply  interesting  and  impressive.  The  Rev.  Mark 
Hopkins,  D.  D.,  of  Massachusetts,  pronounced  the  bene- 
diction. 

As  a fitting  acknowledgment  of  the  goodness  of  God 
to  the  Society  during  all  its  history,  and  as  an  appropriate 
method  of  marking  its  entrance  upon  the  second  half- 
century  of  its  work,  arrangements  were  made  to  engage 
at  once  in  a general  and  thorough  supply  of  the  United 
States  with  the  Scriptures.  An  account  of  this  effort  has 
been  given  in  a previous  section. 

In  the  Society’s  Jubilee  Memorial  Volume  may  be 
found,  with  much  other  interesting  matter,  a commemo- 
rative historical  discourse,  prepared  by  the  Rev.  Isaac 
Ferris,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  Chancellor  of  the  University  of  the 
City  of  New  York. 


60 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


70*  Seventy-fifth  Anniversary 

On  successive  Sabbaths  in  April  and  May,  1891,  by  in- 
vitation of  the  Board  of  Managers,  sermons  in  commem- 
oration of  the  work  of  the  American  Bible  Society  during 
the  seventy-five  years  of  its  existence  were  delivered  by 
the  following  pastors  in  their  respective  churches : Kev. 
B.  B.  Tyler,  D.D.,  of  the  Church  of  the  Disciples;  Rev. 
G.  F.  Krotel,  D.D.,  of  the  Lutheran  Church  of  the  Holy 
Trinity;  Rev.  Ensign  McChesney,  D.D.,  of  the  Madison 
Avenue  Methodist  Episcopal  Church;  and  the  Rev.  Wil- 
liam M.  Taylor,  D.D.,  of  the  Broadway  Tabernacle. 

Rev.  Dr.  Talbot  W.  Chambers  delivered  the  historical 
discourse  in  the  Collegiate  Dutch  Church,  on  Sabbath 
evening,  May  10,  1891. 

On  the  afternoon  of  May  13th  a meeting  was  held  at 
the  Bible  House,  at  which  the  Hon.  Joshua  L.  Chamber- 
lain,  of  Maine,  presided.  The  Rev.  J.  L.  Sooy,  of  New 
Jersey,  read  the  Scriptures  and  offered  prayer.  Addresses 
were  delivered  by  the  Rev.  Richard  S.  Storrs,  D.D.,LL.D.; 
the  Rev.  Joshua  Kimber,  D.D.;  the  Rev.  J.  O.  Peck,D.D.; 
the  Rev.  J.  M.  Stevenson,  D.  D.,  and  the  Rev.  M.  H. 
Williams,  who  respectively  presented  the  greetings  of  the 
American  Board  of  Commissioners  for  Foreign  Missions, 
the  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  of  the  Reformed  Church 
of  America,  the  Domestic  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society 
of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  the  Missionary  Soci- 
ety of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  the  American 
Tract  Society,  and  the  American  Sunday  School  Union. 

On  the  evening  of  the  same  day  a public  meeting  was 
held  in  Chickering  Hall.  The  Hon.  E.  L.  Fancher,  LL.D., 
the  president  of  the  Society,  occupied  the  chair.  The 
Scriptures  were  read  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Albert  J.  Lyman, 
and  prayer  was  offered  by  the  Rev.  Theodore  L.  Cuyler, 
D.D.  After  a statement  of  the  work  of  the  Society  for 
seventy- five  years  by  Secretary  McLean,  an  appropriate 
and  eloquent  address  was  delivered  by  the  Rev.  Phillips 
Brooks,  D.D.,  of  Boston,  on  the  “ Bible  as  the  Book  of 


AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY 


61 


Life.”  The  Rev.  T.  Aston-Binns,  of  London,  presented 
the  warm  congratulations  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible 
Society;  the  Rev.  James  Stalker,  D.D.,  of  Glasgow,  bore 
greetings  from  the  National  Bible  Society  of  Scotland  ; 
and  the  Rev.  John  Burton,  D.D.,  of  Toronto,  spoke  of 
the  hearty  good-will  of  the  Upper  Canada  Bible  Society. 

A meeting  for  conference  concerning  the  work  of  the 
Society  was  held  at  the  Bible  House  on  the  morning  of 
Thursday,  May  14th,  at  which  Theophilus  A.  Brouwer, 
Esq.,  Vice-President,  presided.  Rev.  Mr.  Burton,  of  To- 
ronto, conducted  the  religious  services.  Representatives 
from  the  state  auxiliaries  of  Pennsylvania,  New  Hamp- 
shire, and  Vermont,  from  the  Washington  City  Bible  So- 
ciety, and  from  many  auxiliaries  of  New  York  and  New 
Jersey,  made  addresses  and  presented  valuable  suggestions 
about  operations  in  their  respective  fields. 

71  ♦ How  to  Help  the  Society's  Work 

“The  sole  object  of  the  institution  is  to  encourage  a 
wider  circulation  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  without  note  or 
comment.”  Its  friends  may  aid  its  work — 

(1.)  By  commending  the  Scriptures  to  others,  and  con- 
vincing men 'that  they  owe  it  to  themselves,  their  families, 
their  country,  and  their  God  to  own,  read,  and  study  this 
Book  of  Truth. 

(2.)  By  entering  heartily  into  arrangements  providing 
for  a thorough  and  economical  re-supply  of  districts  with 
the  Bible.  This  home  work  of  exploration  and  supply 
falls  properly  within  the  province  of  local  societies  auxil- 
iary to  the  American  Bible  Society.  Their  efficiency  and 
success  depend  mainly  upon  the  voluntary  co-operation 
of  churches  and  individual  Christians. 

(3.)  By  buying  and  circulating  its  books.  These  books 
are  attractive  in  binding  and  typography.  They  are  var- 
iously adapted  for  all  classes  of  persons:  books  in  large 
type  for  the  aged  ; in  raised  letters  for  the  blind ; parts 
of  the  Bible  for  the  convenience  of  readers  who  prefer 
not  to  hold  a heavy  book  ; reference  Bibles  for  those  who 


62 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


compare  Scripture  with  Scripture  ; Bibles  in  various  lan- 
guages for  foreigners,  and  of  various  sizes  for  pulpits, 
families,  travelers,  scholars,  and  others.  The  publica- 
tions of  the  Society  are  widely  distributed  through  the 
country.  Many  booksellers  keep  them  in  stock,  and  they 
may  be  found  in  or  ordered  through  the  county  depositor - 
ies  at  numerous  points.  Whoever  becomes  a purchaser 
and  distributer  helps  the  Society’s  work. 

(4.)  By  remitting  donations  to  the  American  Bible 
Society  for  its  benevolent  work  in  our  own  and  in  foreign 
lands,  that  it  may  sow  the  seed  of  truth  in  the  vast  and 
accessible  field  which  opens  before  it,  and  by  following  up 
such  donations  with  expectant  prayer.  Enough  has 
already  been  said  to  show  that  the  Bible  Society  is  used  by 
missions  at  home  and  abroad.  Let  this  fact  bring  to  it  a 
regular  proportion  (many  churches  give  ten  per  cent)  of 
the  church  contributions  for  missionary  purposes  and 
regular  mention  in  the  prayers  of  the  church. 

(5.)  By  making  engagements  to  contribute  a definite 
amount  to  the  Society  annually  for  a certain  number  of 
years.  A number  of  friends  have  each  agreed  to  pay  $100 
a year  for  five  years  for  the  work  of  the  Society. 


AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY 


63 


CONSTITUTION 

OF  THE 

AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY 

ORIGINALLY  ADOPTED  IN  1816, 

AND  SUBSEQUENTLY  AMENDED 


ARTICLE  I. 

This  Society  shall  be  known  by  the  name  of  the  AMER- 
ICAN BIBLE  SOCIETY,  of  which  the  sole  object  shall  be  to 
encourage  a wider  circulation  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  without 
note  or  comment.  The  only  copies  in  the  English  language, 
to  be  circulated  by  the  Society,  shall  be  of  the  version  set 
forth  in  1611  and  commonly  known  as  the  King  Janies  Version, 
whether  in  its  original  formas  published  in  the  aforesaid  year 
or  as  revised,  the  New  Testament  in  1881,  and  the  Old  Testa- 
ment in  1885,  and  published  in  these  years  under  the  super- 
vision of  the  Committee  of  Revision,  or  as  further  revised  and 
edited  by  the  American  Committee  of  Revision  and  printed 
under  its  supervision  in  1901. 

ARTICLE  II. 

This  Society  shall  add  its  endeavors  to  those  employed  by 
other  societies,  for  circulating  the  Scriptures  throughout  the 
United  States  and  their  Territories  ; and  shall  furnish  them 
with  plates  or  such  other  assistance  as  circumstances  may 
require.  This  Society  shall  also,  according  to  its  ability,  extend 
its  influence  to  other  countries,  whether  Christian,  Mohamme- 
dan, or  pagan. 

ARTICLE  III. 

All  Bible  societies  shall  be  allowed  to  purchase,  at  cost,  from 
this  Society,  Bibles  for  distribution  within  their  own  districts; 
and  the  officers  of  all  such  Bible  societies  as  shall  hereafter 
agree  to  place  their  surplus  revenue,  after  supplying  their  own 
districts  with  the  Bible,  at  the  disposal  of  this  Society,  shall  be 
entitled  to  vote  in  all  meetings  of  the  Society. 

ARTICLE  IV. 

Each  subscriber  of  three  dollars  annually  shall  be  a member. 

ARTICLE  V. 

Each  subscriber  of  thirty  dollars  at  one  time  shall  be  a Mem- 
ber for  Life. 


04 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


ARTICLE  YI. 

Each  subscriber  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  at  one  time, 
or  who  shall,  by  one  additional  payment,  increase  his  original 
subscription  to  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  shall  be  a Di- 
rector for  Life ; but  he  shall  not  be  such  director  when  he 
is  in  receipt  of  any  salary,  emolument,  or  compensation  for 
services  from  the  Society. 

ARTICLE  VII. 

Directors  shall  be  entitled  to  attend  and  speak,  and  if  consti- 
tuted directors  before  June  1,  1877,  shall  be  entitled  to  vote  at 
all  meetings  of  the  Board  of  Managers. 

ARTICLE  VIII. 

A Board  of  Managers  shall  be  apppinted  to  conduct  the 
business  of  the  Society,  consisting  of  thirty-six  laymen,  of 
whom  twenty-four  shall  reside  in  the  city  of  New  York  or  its 
vicinity.  One  fourth  part  of  the  whole  number  shall  go  out 
of  office  at  the  expiration  of  each  year,  but  shall  be  re-eligible. 

Every  Minister  of  the  Gospel  who  is  a Member  for  Life  of 
the  Society,  if  he  be  not  entitled  to  receive  any  salary,  emolu- 
ment, or  compensation  for  services  from  the  Society,  shall  be 
entitled  to  meet  and  vote  with  the  Board  of  Managers,  and  be 
possessed  of  the  same  powers  as  a Manager  himself. 

The  Managers  shall  appoint  all  officers,  and  call  special  gen- 
eral meetings,  and  fill  -such  vacancies  as  may  occur,  by  death 
or  otherwise,  in  their  own  Board. 

ARTICLE  IX. 

Each  member  of  the  Society  shall  be  entitled,  under  the. 
direction  of  the  Board  of  Managers,  to  purchase  Bibles  and  Tes 
taments  at  the  Society’s  prices,  which  shall  be  as  low  as  possible. 

ARTICLE  X. 

The  annual  meetings  of  the  Society  shall  be  held  at  New 
York  or  Philadelphia,  at  the  option  of  the  Society,  on  the 
second  Thursday  of  May,  in  each  year ; when  the  Managers 
shall  be  chosen,  the  accounts  presented,  and  the  proceedings 
of  the  foregoing  year  reported. 

ARTICLE  XI. 

The  President  and  Vice-Presidents,  for  the  time  being, 
shall  be  considered,  ex-officio , members  of  the  Board  of  Mana- 
gers. The  Treasurer  and  Secretaries  shall,  in  addition  to  their 
other  duties,  attend  meetings  of  the  Board,  and  of  the  Com- 


AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY 


65 


mittees  thereof,  to  render  such  aid  in  imparting  information, 
recording  and  reading  proceedings  and  minutes,  and  in  pre- 
paring reports,  as  may  be  required  of  them. 

ARTICLE  XII. 

At  the  general  meetings  of  the  Society,  and  the  meetings  of 
the  Managers,  the  President,  or,  in  his  absence,  the  Vice-Presi- 
dent first  on  the  list  then  present,  and  in  the  absence  of  all 
the  Vice-Presidents,  such  member  as  shall  be  appointed  for  that 
purpose,  shall  preside  at  the  meeting. 

ARTICLE  XIII. 

The  Managers  shall  meet  on  the  first  Thursday  in  each 
month,  or  oftener,  if  necessary,  at  such  place  in  the  city  of 
New  York  as  they  shall  from  time  to  time  adjourn  to,  but  when 
the  first  Thursday  falls  on  a legal  holiday  the  meeting  shall  be 
on  the  second  Thursday. 

ARTICLE  XIV. 

The  Managers  shall  have  the  power  of  appointing  such 
persons  as  have  rendered  essential  services  to  the  Society  either 
Members  for  Life,  or  Directors  for  Life. 


ARTICLE  XV. 


The  whole  minutes  of  every  meeting  shall  be  signed  by  the 
Chairman. 


ARTICLE  XVI. 


No  alteration  shall  be  made  in  this  Constitution,  except  by 
the  Society  at  an  annual  meeting,  on  the  recommendation  of 
the  Board  of  Managers. 

ARTICLE  XVII. 

The  President,  or,  in  his  absence,  the  Vice-President  first 
on  the  list  in  the  city  of  New  York,  may,  and,  on  the  written 
request  of  six  members  of  the  Board,  shall  call  a special  meeting 
of  the  Board  of  Managers,  giving  three  days’  notice  of  such 
meeting,  and  of  its  object. 


ARTICLE  XVIII. 


The  Board  of  Managers  may  admit  to  the  privileges  of  an 
Auxiliary  any  Society  which  was  organised  and  had  com- 
menced the  printing,  publication,  and  issuing  of  the  Sacred 
Scriptures  before  the  establishment  of  this  Society,  with  such 
relaxation  of  the  terms  of  admission,  heretofore  prescribed,  as 
the  said  Board,  two  thirds  of  the  members  present  consenting, 
may  think  proper. 


66 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


CONSTITUTION 

OF  AN 

AUXILIARY  BIBLE  SOCIETY 


Article  1.  This  Society  shall  be  called  the  Bible  Society 
of , Auxiliary  to  the  American  Bible  Society. 

Art.  2.  The  object  of  the  Society  shall  be  to  promote  the 
circulation  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  “ without  note  or  comment/’ 
and,  in  English,  those  of  the  version  set  forth  in  1611  and 
commonly  known  as  the  King  James  Version,  whether  in  its 
original  form  as  published  in  the  aforesaid  year  or  as  revised, 
the  New  Testament  in  1881  and  the  Old  Testament  in  1885, 
and  published  in  these  years  under  the  supervision  of  the  Com- 
mittee of  Revision,  or  as  further  revised  and  edited  by  the 
American  Committee  of  Revision  and  printed  under  its  super- 
vision in  1901. 

Art.  3.  All  persons  contributing  any  sum  to  its  funds  shall 
be  members  for  one  year ; those  contributing  one  dollar  or 
more  shall  receive  (if  called  for  within  twelve  months)  a com- 
mon Bible  in  return  ; those  contributing  fifteen  dollars  at  one 
time,  or  twenty  dollars  at  two  payments,  shall  be  members  for 
life. 

Art.  4.  All  funds  not  wanted  for  circulating  the  Scrip- 
tures within  the  Society’s  own  limits  shall  be  paid  over  an- 
nually to  the  Parent  Society,  to  aid  distributions  among  the 
destitute  in  other  parts  of  the  country  and  in  foreign  lands. 

Art.  5.  The  officers  of  the  Society  shall  consist  of  a Presi- 
dent, Vice-President,  Secretary,  and  Treasurer,  whose  duties 
shall  be  such  as  their  respective  titles  import. 

Art.  6.  The  management  of  the  Society  shall  be  intrusted 
to  an  Executive  Committee  of  five  (or  -seven,  including  the 
Secretary  and  Treasurer,)  which  shall  appoint  its  own  Chair- 
man and  make  its  own  By-Laws. 

Art.  7.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  this  Committee  to  meet 
frequently  on  adjournment,  or  on  call  of  the  Chairman  ; to 
keep  a good  supply  of  books  on  hand  ; to  appoint  local  dis- 
tributers ; to  see  that  collections,  in  some  way,  are  made  an- 


AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY 


G7 


nually  in  every  congregation  ; and  that  all  funds  are  forwarded 
early  to  the  Parent  Society,  with  a statement  as  to  the  portion 
designed  for  the  payment  of  books,  and  that  as  a free  donation. 
Art.  8.  There  shall  be  a general  meeting  of  the  Society 

on of  each  year,  when  a full  report  of  their  doings 

shall  be  presented  by  the  Committee  (a  copy  of  which  shall  be 
furnished  to  the  Parent  Society),  and  when  a new  election  of 
Officers  and  Committee  shall  take  place.  Should  the  Society 
fail  of  an  annual  meeting,  the  same  Officers  and  Committee 
shall  be  continued  until  an  election  does  occur.  0 

Art.  9.  Any  Branch  Society,  or  Bible  Committee,  formed 
within  the  bounds  of  this  Auxiliary,  by  paying  over  its  funds 
annually  shall  receive  Bibles  and  Testaments  at  cost  prices. 

Art.  10.  No  alteration  shall  be  made  in  this  Constitution, 
except  at  an  annual  meeting  and  by  consent  of  two  thirds  of 
the  members  present. 


LEGACIES. 

The  following  suggestions  in  regard  to  the  drafting  of 
Wills  are  made  for  the  information  of  those  who  desire  to 
leave  bequests  to  the  Society,  and  thus  to  perpetuate  the 
work  when  their  own  personal  efforts  are  ended  : 

Form  of  a Bequest* 

I give  and  bequeath  to  the  American  Bible  Society , 
formed  in  New  York  in  the  year  eighteen  hundred  and  six- 
teen, and  incorporated  in  the  year  eighteen  hundred  and 

forty-one,  the  sum  of , to  be  applied  to  the 

charitable  uses  and  purposes  of  said  Society . 

In  case  it  is  desired  to  give  real  estate,  the  above  form 
can  be  made  to  read  : 

I direct  my  executors  to  sell  [here  describe  the  land ] , 
and  I give  and  bequeath  to  the  American  Bible  Society, 
formed  in  New  York  in  the  year  eighteen  hundred  and 
sixteen , and  incorporated  in  the  year  eighteen  hundred 
and  forty-one,  out  of  the  proceeds  thereof,  the  sum  of 
. . . . , to  be  applied  to  the  charitable  uses  and  pur- 

poses of  said  Society. 


68 


MANUAL  OF  THE  AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY 


The  Society  is  incorporated  by  a special  act  of  the 
Legislature  of  New  York,  passed  March  25,  1841,  and  has 
by  subsequent  legislation  received  further  powers.  In 
1888  it  was  authorized  to  take,  receive,  and  hold  any  per- 
sonal or  real  property  by  gift  or  grant,  bequest  or  devise  ; 
and  gifts  and  grants,  bequests  and  devises,  of  personal  or 
real  property  may  be  made  directly  to  the  Society,  or  to  it 
in  trust  for  any  of  the  purposes  comprehended  in  the  gen- 
eral objects  of  the  Society,  and  such  trusts  may  continue 
for  such  tinfe  as  may  be  necessary  to  accomplish  the  pur- 
pose for  which  they  may  be  created.  It  is,  however,  pro- 
vided that  every  such  bequest  or  devise  by  residents  of  the 
State  of  New  York  shall  be  subject  to  the  provisions  of 
the  Act  of  April  13,  1860,  whereby  it  is  enacted  that 

“No  person  having  a husband,  wife,  child,  or  parent, 
shall,  by  his  or  her  last  will  and  testament,  devise  or 
bequeath  to  any  benevolent,  charitable,  literary,  scientific, 
religious,  or  missionary  society,  association,  or  corporation, 
in  trust  or  otherwise,  more  than  one  half  part  of  his  or 
her  estate,  after  the  payment  of  his  or  her  debts  (and  such 
devise  or  bequest  shall  be  valid  to  the  extent  of  one-half, 
and  no  more).” 

The  Society,  by  the  general  and  special  powers  given 
to  it  by  the  Legislature  of  New  York,  can,  in  the  absence 
of  local  statutory  restrictions,  take  and  hold  real  estate  in 
other  States  by  gift  or  devise. 


